TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: The stall owners at the Holy Spirit Feast, Margao on Wednesday complained to the Margao Municipal Council chairperson about the exorbitant fees charged by the sopo tax collector. They stated that they were charged Rs 15,000 for 15 days, which was 18 times higher than the official rates.
On Tuesday, a fight broke out between the sopo contractor’s employees and the vendors after the latter refused to pay the increased sopo fees.
The vendors demanded that the tax be abolished as they already pay a hefty sum to the MMC for the stalls at the feast. Surprisingly, the MMC has been charging them double since 2003.
Around 20 stall owners met the ‘acting Chairperson’ Dhananjay Mayenkar to express their disgust over the high-handedness of the sopo collectors at the feast.
“The vendors are already paying six to seven thousand rupees to the MMC for the stall, and to add to the problems, the sopo tax collector has this year crossed the limits and asked for Rs 15 thousand for 15 days,” said vendor Sebestian Furtado.
The rates laid down by the council works out to only Rs 64 for eight days. The sopo collector charges almost 18 times higher than the official rates.
“I have had stalls all over Goa for years, but never before saw a system where there is duplication of charges by the municipality and sopo tax contractors. Either get this abolished or we move out. We are ready to starve, but not pay our hard earned money just like that,” said Shaila Vernekar, a vendor who has been fighting against the tax for a long time.
Mayenkar, after consulting the acting chief officer, assured the vendors he would check how other municipalities in Goa charged and would follow that structure. He has also assured strict action against the assailant sopo collectors.
