MAPUSA: Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson Sandeep Falari on Monday denied any scam in Sopo collection at the municipal market.
Falari was responding to the allegations of Mapusa Merchants Association that there was a scam in tendering sopo collection in the market.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Falari said, “Sopo is a major source of income for MMC. The official per sq meter charges of sopo is ten rupees in open space and rupees 20 per sq mt in shade such as the flower, vegetable and fish market. There are some vendors occupying just one sqmt, but many vendors with huge stock occupy more than one meter.”
He said that Rs 2 crore is collected as sopo annually.
Falari said that the Mapusa Merchants Association (MMA) calculated the increase in the sopo tender, as such, he implied, the merchants were alleging scam in tendering sopo collection.
“Earlier, when sopo was tendered, the amount use to increase, but I as froze the sopo tender at initial bid of 10 percent at Rs 1.40 crore,” Falari said.
He said that to bring order in the market, the Town Vending Committee (TVC) must start functioning. “The TVC has not met and is inactive. If the TVC starts functioning, then, it would have specified the holding capacity of the vending zone as per the guidelines and issued photo identity cards thereby preventing unauthorised vendors.”
Responding to the demands of MMA, Falari said that the municipality was in the process of providing insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to the shops. “The work is stuck due to some legal procedures. We have already appointed two advocates and soon the problem will be solved,” he said.
On the demand for replacing all overhead electrical wires and cables, he said, “We have already spoken to the assistant engineer and the clearing of overhead wires will be done soon. We will de-silt the gutter and drains in the market every Sunday which will be completed by end of April.”
