PANJIM: Former Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor and senior Councillor Uday Madkaikar on Sunday alleged ‘corruption’ in sopo collection at the municipal market in Panjim.
Madkaikar shared a 27-seconds long video with mediapersons, wherein he is seen confronting reportedly a CCP appointed worker for collecting money in the name of sopo from vendors without giving them receipt.
In the particular video, sopo collector is seen telling Madkaikar to question ‘Master’ and not him.
“I am shocked to know that no receipts are given to vendors after collecting money by our CCP staff, the one who is collecting money in the name of sopo from fish and vegetable vendors who conduct their business between 6 am and 9 am revealed that his master instructed him not to give the receipt.”
“It was revealed that this open corruption of lakhs of rupees has been going on in the name of sopo in the market for the last two years. These things have never happened before,” he added.
Madkaikar sought to know from Councillor Bento Lorena who is the chairman of the CCP’s market committee, if he would file a police complaint against the persons who are allegedly illegally collecting sopo without issuing any receipt.
“During my tenure as City Mayor, I had introduced PoS (Point of Sale) machines which was used to collect money and receipt were issued instantly. Why were those machines discontinued? This revenue is of the government. Whenever a pay parking person fails to issue a receipt, we make a big hue n cry. This calls for an immediate in house inquiry and sopo collected for last two years needs to be recovered. CCP Commissioner and Account Taxation Officer (ATO) ought to act,” former Mayor and senior-most councillor Surendra Furtado said.
When contacted Bento Lorena, he said, “This issue was brought to my notice today. I spoke to the supervisor concerned, and according to him he had alerted the CCP long back. I don’t know why CCP has not acted on this despite the supervisor informing them. I will speak to the officials concerned on Monday and find out the reason why receipts are not issued.”
