MARGAO: The Class ‘A’ Margao Municipal Council (MMC) is inviting bids for the sopo collection tender, spanning the next five months, even as some vital documents related to the previous sopo tender file remain unaccounted for.
Gaurish Sankhwalkar, Chief Officer of the Margao Municipal Council, disclosed to
O Heraldo that the civic body has issued a tender for sopo collection covering the period from November 2023 to March 2024.
It’s worth noting that the issue concerning the missing sopo tender file had been a topic of discussion, with Margao’s citizens and civic authorities urging action to file a complaint with the relevant authorities. The matter has also sparked a disagreement between the Chief Officer and Damodar Shirodkar, the Chairperson due to the file’s disappearance.
“The issue regarding the old sopo tender file pertained only to the absence of some documents related to the tender. Therefore, after creating a new file, we have now launched a tender for sopo collection,” stated the Chief Officer. At present, sopo collection is being handled internally, and the MMC is encountering challenges in revenue collection through this means.
Savio Coutinho, a former MMC Chairperson, expressed optimism that the period from November to December, being a peak season, would attract more bidders. “We anticipate positive results in terms of revenue generation, especially concerning sopo collection,” he remarked.
Nonetheless, concerned citizens have urged the Chief Officer to implement a robust system within the civic body to streamline its operations, particularly in terms of revenue generation. “We have been informed that due to a lack of necessary funds, the municipal council is facing difficulties in disbursing salaries to its employees. At month-end, MMC has to make alternate arrangements to ensure that its hundreds of employees receive their salaries on time,” noted Coutinho.
