Team Herald
MARGAO: Expressing their frustration over the unresolved issue of illegal transfers of municipal shops, the market committee and councillors of the Margao Municipal Council have called
for immediate action to address these irregularities to ensure timely justice for the original owners.
This situation has raised significant concerns about accountability and transparency in the management of local businesses.
As a result, there are increasing demands for the authorities to take the issue seriously. Councillors have urged officials to expedite the resolution of cases related
to the illegal transfer of municipal shops, aiming to alleviate the hardships faced by the original owners in the New Market.
Citing a specific case from 2021, it was highlighted that the ownership of one shop was transferred to another individual without obtaining a No Objection Certificate from the original owner.
MMC councillor Mahesh Amonkar noted, “The civic body is allowed to transfer shop ownership based on an affidavit from the applicant. In this affidavit, it is stated that if anyone claims rights to the shop, the civic body can revoke the transfer and return ownership to the original owner.”
He further noted that in this particular case, the original owner had filed objections, yet the civic body failed to restore the rights to the original owner and continued to prolong the hearings.
“Delaying decisions on such cases for years, despite having the authority to revert them, are a form of harassment for the original owners. Many petitioners are struggling even to afford their legal fees,” Amonkar stated.
He believes that such cases should be resolved within just a few hearings to ensure timely justice for the original owners. “I have already discussed this issue with the Chief Officer and emphasised the need for serious action to resolve it,” he asserted.
Paresh Borkar, a resident of Margao, accused the civic body of being solely responsible for the ongoing issues related to municipal shops and the associated illegalities.
“The civic body has yet to streamline processes and provide a solution to the illegal activities, such as the unauthorised transfers of shops owned by the municipality,” he added.