MARGAO: Shaila Vernekar, a senior citizen who had asked for permission to run business on the footpath as a protest against the illegal activities on footpaths now sees hope that her real battle to remove encroachments on footpaths will be won.
Taking note of the news report by O Heraldo published on Wednesday, Chief Officer of MMC, Srinet Kothwale, assured of phase-wise action.
Action will start with removal of all the illegal hoardings erected in the jurisdiction of the civic body. This also includes action against vendors doing illegal business on the footpaths of Margao.
So far, the civic body if Margao has failed to crack the whip against the vendors engaged in doing business on the footpaths in the vicinity of the municipal garden.
A large number of vendors, mostly non-Goans, can be noticed over here doing business without paying any rent to the civic body, besides blocking the way of the pedestrians.
In the past, even a group of councillors had raised their voice against such activities in the council meeting, but activities continued.
Chief Officer Kotwale said, “The Civic body is very serious on the issue of encroachment on the footpaths and non-Goans vendors engaged in doing business on the footpaths causing major hardships to the pedestrians,” the Chief Officer said.
“It has been also brought to the notice that those involved in erecting the hoardings have not even obtained permission from the concerned authorities for erecting the structure for hoardings. And hence, instructions have been issued to the officials to start with removal of the illegal hoardings,” he informed.
