PANJIM: Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza on Tuesday directed the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) to remove handcarts operating across the city without authorised permission.
“The handcarts do not pay any taxes plus they do not have all the authorised permissions from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and CCP. I have directed the CCP Commissioner and Mayor to remove all illegal handcarts operating across the city without authorised permission. Street food can cause all types of sickness,” D’Souza said, speaking to reporters after a brief meeting with CCP officials and Panjim Hotel and Traders Association (PHATA).
He added, “I have also asked CCP to provide online services for citizens, including traders, such as paying tax and other allied services in a bid to reduce citizen interface for which the commissioner said that GSUDA is already working on bringing all the facilities online and that in the next two months it should be operational.”
He further said that PHATA has demanded that taxes levied on their businesses should be rationalised and be proportional. D’Souza said he has asked the CCP Commissioner to look into the matter and that if any corrections need to be made they should be done for which he has asked two months.
Meanwhile, PHATA convener Barnabe Sapeco, who was also present for the meeting, said, “Every year CCP at its whims and fancies has been steeply increasing the tax for traders and residents of Panjim. We demand that the taxes charged by CCP be rationalised.”
“All gaddas serving food should follow the same licencing policy as those applicable to hotels. All gaddas located in Panjim Children’s Park, at Church Square, which have messed up the locality, should be removed immediately and be placed either at Patto Plaza of EDC or at Campal away from residential areas,” Sapeco demanded.
