MARGAO: There was a huge commotion at the Margao Municipal Council (MMC), a day after council passed a resolution to postpone the auction of sopo contract and waive off the contractor’s fees for a few months.
On Friday, a group of other vendors, who had already placed their bids for the sopo auction that was supposed to take place this week, gheraoed the MMC Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes, who maintained that he has to abide by the council’s decisions.
The vendors led by Milagres Fernandes however lamented that they had already submitted their forms for the auction, for which they had paid Rs 5,000 and a bank deposit of Rs 1.75 lakh for the auction.
While expressing shock over the council’s decision, the vendors alleged that it was to favour the contractor.
They further stated that they were ready to pay Rs 10 lakh more than the 70-odd lakh the present contractor pays.
They said they will pay this in advance too. They pointed out that the existing contractor had been marked as a defaulter yet his contract has been extended.
They also demanded that a separate tender be issued for the upcoming Church feast.
The vendors alleged that extending the contract by three months was to help the existing contractor as the feast and mango season is the most profitable.
They also questioned how the contract was extended with only a 5 per cent increase and not the mandated 25 per cent increase as per the agreement.
While they objected to the three-year experience clause which they said was aimed at helping the present contractor.
“The tender should then demand for income certificates and GST registration,” they demanded.
