Team Herald
MARGAO: A large group of Margao residents staged a protest outside the Margao Municipal building on Wednesday, demanding a rollback of the recent hike in fees imposed by the
civic body.
The protest quickly turned chaotic as tensions flared between the demonstrators and the Chairperson of the Municipal Council, Damodar Shirodkar, who was confronted by angry citizens calling for the immediate reversal of the fee increase.
Protesters, including local traders, expressed their frustration over the fee hike and demanded a refund for those who had already paid the increased fees. However, Chairperson Shirodkar stood firm, reiterating that the civic body would not roll back the decision.
He told reporters that the council’s actions were in line with legal requirements, adding that protesters were free to take the matter to court if they wished.
The situation escalated further when a police team, led by inspector Tulsidas Naik, intervened to disperse the protesters. Tensions between the protesters and the police intensified as the demonstrators accused the authorities of attempting to silence the voices of
taxpayers.
“The police are working under pressure to suppress our voices,” one protester remarked.
In response to the police’s actions, the protesters were forced to move to the municipal garden area, where they continued to voice their discontent.
Savio Coutinho, a prominent figure among the protesters, accused Shirodkar and other political leaders in Margao of misleading the public and attempting to stifle peaceful protests.
He claimed that the fee hike was actually much higher than the 10 to 15 percent increase stipulated in the council’s resolution and accused the Chairperson of manipulating the minutes of the council meeting to hide the truth.
Coutinho further claimed that Shirodkar's comparisons to the fee structure of the Panjim Corporation were misleading; asserting that Panjim's fees were, in fact, lower than those of Margao.
Another protester, Andrew Sequiera, demanded the immediate resignation of Chairperson Shirodkar. “As taxpayers, we have the full right to demonstrate,” he stated.
Sequiera also warned that in the coming days, local traders would file individual objections and refuse to pay the increased fees.
The situation reached a boiling point when a delegation of five protesters, led by Coutinho, held a meeting with the Chairperson in his chamber. A heated argument ensued, but Shirodkar maintained that the fee hike would stand. “What we have done is under the law,” he asserted. “Let the protesters go to court.”