Ending long-standing impasse, trader and CCP sign first contract for lease & licence agreement

PANJIM: Ending the long-standing impasse between the traders of Panjim municipal market and the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), the first contract between a trader and the Corporation for lease and licence agreement was signed, on Thursday.

Trader named Devanand signed the contract in the presence of Panjim Mayor Rohit Monserrate, Market Committee Chairman Pramay Mainkar, CCP Commissioner Agnelo Fernandes and others.

This signing assumes significance as it marks the culmination of efforts by CCP to get the traders to start signing the new lease and licence agreements. There are a total of 446 market shops.

It may be recalled that a section of traders are opposing the CCP on this even as the Corporation has started issuing eviction notices to those who aren’t signing the new contracts.

Mainkar, who has been in charge of this process, pointed out that this is a positive development as those opposing the CCP on this had claimed that no one would sign the new agreements.

“Our whole point was that the taxes of the residents were being used for the private sector, which had to stop. The CCP was not getting a single rupee from the market’s first floor and the tenanted shops. There was just ‘sopo’ collection but that’s not enough,” said Mainkar.

He also pointed out that the traders do not own the market as it is the property of CCP and that his team under guidance of Panjim MLA Atanasio Monserrate, Mayor and CCP Commissioner is committed in getting the revenue that is due to the Corporation.

“We have already taken a resolution that we are going ahead with the leave and licence agreements. In this case, this applicant had got a High Court order that he be allotted a shop on the first floor and all his documents were in place,” Mainkar said.

He added that another 15 people have sent applications that they are ready to sign their respective agreements.

Emphasising that unlike what happened in the CCP in the past including a scam, Mainkar said they are ensuring that all protocols are followed while processing these 15 applications.

He explained that he has directed the Market Inspector to inspect the shops and verify that the name of the occupant and the size of the shop match the old Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GSDIC) leases.

“We don’t want to repeat what was done earlier. We want to ensure that there are no illegalities and no irregularities,” Mainkar said.

Regarding those who are refusing to sign the agreements, Mainkar said, “Given that the deadlines issued to them have lapsed, the CCP is not backing down on issuing eviction notices.”

He expressed confidence that the courts will back them as well.  

He also added that there will be transparency once whoever signs and the lease and licence agreements are executed.  

“Once they sign, we can also provide better services to them,” Mainkar said while pointing out that those who don’t sign are not in a position to be making demands.