Team Herald
MARGAO: Residents of Margao are strongly opposing the Margao Municipal Council’s (MMC) proposed hike in service fees, demanding an immediate rollback. The sharp increases in trade licenses, construction permits, sanitation fees, and other municipal charges have sparked outrage, with many calling the move unjustified and excessive.
Small businesses, traders, and middle-income families are expected to be the hardest hit. A small shop owner who previously paid a modest fee for a trade licence could now face costs several times higher. Homeowners planning minor renovations will also bear significantly increased permit expenses, while street vendors fear their livelihoods will be at risk. Many warn that the hikes will lead to higher prices for essential goods and services, affecting the entire community.
Savio Coutinho, convenor of the Shadow Council of Margao (SCM), criticized the MMC for failing to justify the increases. "The Council is using this as a cover-up for its inefficiencies and mismanagement. It hasn’t even completed the survey of unlicensed premises, which account for 45% of the city’s properties," he said.
Coutinho also exposed discrepancies in MMC’s public notice, which claimed the hikes were capped at 20%. "In reality, the increases start at 66% and go up to 550%. There isn’t a single instance where the hike is just 20%. This is a blatant attempt to mislead the public," he said.
Anger has also grown over the lack of transparency in the decision-making process. Residents argue that the MMC failed to consult or properly inform the public before proposing the hikes. "This isn’t just about money—it’s about governance. The Council must engage with the people it serves," said a local resident.
Determined to fight the hikes, citizens have planned a large-scale protest on March 28 at 10.30 am in front of the MMC building. They are calling for improved municipal services, greater accountability, and a review of existing inefficiencies before imposing financial burdens on the public.
‘Scrap hike, or will raise issue in Assembly’
MARGAO: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai has come down heavily on the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) for its proposed hike in taxes and service fees, following a meeting with a delegation of Margao citizens and taxpayers.Sardesai warned that if the government fails to address this issue promptly, he would raise the matter during the upcoming Assembly session through a calling attention motion or during the Governor’s address. Emphasising that the Fatorda constituency, which falls under MMC’s jurisdiction, is also affected by the hike, he insisted that the decision must be withdrawn or withheld to protect the interests of the people.