Team Herald
VASCO: After issuing public notice to tighten the noose on tax defaulters, the Mormugao Municipal council on Friday launched a crackdown on commercial establishments which are operating without trade licence. Four establishments — Sangeeta Restaurant located on F L Gomes road, Safura Restaurant located near Vasco fish market, Sahil electrical and GM electrical — were sealed by the municipality on Friday. Similar drive to continue in days to come.
According to MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik, the Municipality had recently launched a comprehensive inspection of all business and commercial establishments operating within the municipal jurisdiction and it was found that 45-50 percent establishments have been operating without any trade licence, hence the Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes on Friday issued an order to take action against the shops operating without trade licences.
In his order, Fernandes made a mention that since several shops and establishments are functioning without obtaining any trade licence or without renewing the licence, the municipality has been facing loss. The order further states that since the Council has to undertake lot of activities for proper upkeep of the town, the municipality has decided to clamp down on all such illegal trades. Towards this end, the accounts/taxation officer and other staff are directed to conduct joint inspections and seal the premises that operate without trade licence.
“On the one hand we have residents who have not paid their house tax, similarly we have majority of commercial establishments that either failed to pay trade tax, signboards tax etc or has been running without any licence from Mormugao municipality. Considering the fact that our outstanding dues has been increasing year by year, we have now decided to take a firm stand on recovery of dues and the first step towards the same has begun on Friday with sealing of premises operating without a valid trade licence,” Naik said.
The chairperson once again appealed to the people and especially commercial establishments to come forward and obtain a licence before March 31. Failing which, he warned, prompt action which includes sealing of the establishments would be taken.
