Providing a major relief to Matoli vendors, the State government on Monday issued a notification exempting them from paying sopo (market fee) at Ganesh Chaturthi bazaars.
Speaking to reporters at the Mantralaya in Porvorim, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant acknowledged that while the official directive was slightly delayed, it has now been issued.
Sawant had earlier announced during the recently concluded State Legislative Assembly session that panchayats and municipalities would be instructed not to collect sopo fees from these vendors. However, due to the absence of a formal written communication, sopo collections had continued in most areas.
Subsequently, the Department of Urban Development issued a circular instructing the Commissioner of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) and all chief officers of urban local bodies not to impose any kind of fees or charges on vendors selling traditional Matoli items within their respective jurisdictions.
In a similar move, the Directorate of Panchayats issued a circular advising all village panchayats across the State to refrain from levying any taxes or charges on vendors selling traditional Matoli items in local village markets during the upcoming Chaturthi.
Meanwhile, there was uproar in Ponda with regards to the collection of sopo, with vendors at the Matoli Bazaar alleging that they were charged exorbitant fees by contractors, exceeding the rates fixed by the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC).
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had recently made an assurance in the Goa Legislative Assembly that municipalities and panchayats would be directed to waive sopo taxes for vendors selling Matoli items during Chaturthi.
Congress leader Rajesh Verenkar visited the Ponda matoli bazaar to assess the situation. After confirming with vendors and PMC officials, Verenkar condemned the Chief Minister for failing to fulfill his promise regarding the waiving of Matoli sopo tax.
He asserted that the “happiness index” of the ruling party has increased, while the public remains unhappy. Vendors who had hoped for relief based on the government's promise are now disappointed by its failure to honour it.
When questioned, Sopo collector Suraj Kurtarkar stated that he had not yet received any official directions from the chief officer regarding the waiver.
Voicing her grievances, Gautami Gaude, a vendor from Nirankal-Bethora, expressed shock at the exorbitant sopo tax demand. Despite occupying only a metre of space, Gautami said she was initially asked for Rs 200, which was then increased to Rs 300.
Gautami protested the charge, stating she is a graduate and would prefer a government job over selling fruits on the road.
Premavati Gaude reported that the contractor demanded Rs 900 for approximately four square metres of area, prompting her to threaten filing a complaint with the PMC.
Following the State government’s notification to exempt vendors from paying sopo, Garu Sawant, president of the Ponda Market Vendors Association, urged the PMC to refund the fees collected by the contractor over the past two days.
He reiterated that the fixed rate for an open market space is Rs 12 per square metre and advised vendors to pay only the PMC-fixed rates to the sopo collector.