MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council has commenced the much-needed exercise of reassessing and verifying around 500 shops owned by them, in a bid to resolve the inconsistencies in their rental payments.
Two teams led by market inspectors have been instructed to submit a detailed report of the shops located in Gandhi Market and New Market, with a full assessment in all regards to be done during the exercise.
However, reliable sources have revealed that upon hearing the news of the assessment of the shops, several traders are on the run and calling political leaders and MMC councillors to avoid any action from the civic body. OHeraldo had highlighted the issue on March 14, revealing that for the last three decades, the civic body failed to renew the lease deed of over 500 shops, resulting in a significant loss of revenue.
Traders are paying a meagre sum of Rs. 10 as rent towards the shops, and many are subletting their shops to second and third parties who aren’t blood relations. This exercise has caused anxiety among many traders, who are paying an inadequate amount of rent. Earlier, MMC Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar expressed shock while going through the list of traders and the amount they paid towards rent, with many in the New Market paying just Rs. 10, and others paying no more than Rs. 100. Shirodkar, speaking to reporters, stated that he had instructed officers to carry out a full assessment of rent paid to the civic body and the lease arrangement. A detailed report will be placed before him by the concerned market inspectors within the next 15 days.
The official record shows that there are nearly 289 shops in New Market and 252 in Gandhi Market. The amount listed towards rent paid by traders is shocking and needs to be taken seriously as the civic body is losing a significant amount of revenue. Several tenant traders have themselves leased out their shops or sold them to second and third parties, and the civic body has not initiated any action against them.
Meanwhile, the traders have objected and demanded that a proper system be put in place before any decision to increase rental is taken.
