MMC effects changes, dispatches draft Concession Agreement to Fomento

MARGAO, APRIL 20
The Margao Municipal Council on Monday dispatched the draft Concession Agreement to Fomento’s for comments after effecting changes in the draft, including inserting a provision that the company submits a bank guarantee of Rs 2 crore.
The Civic body has asked Fomento to return back the draft agreement to the Civic body at the earliest so that the draft is placed before the Councilors for ratification.
MMC Chief Savio Coutinho said the ball is now in the court of Fomento to return back the draft concession agreement at the earliest so that the same is ratified by the Councilors. “The Civic body had forwarded the draft concession agreement to the Municipal Lawyer, Adv Padiyar to go through the provisions and make necessary changes to protect the interests of the Civic body. Since the draft is received by the Civic body, the same has been forwarded to Fomento for their comments”, he said.
Besides inserting the provision of bank guarantee of Rs 2 crore, the Civic body is believed to have maintained that the company cannot mortgage the land in question at Sonsodo when the agreement is in force.
The draft Concession agreement has been a major bone of contention between the ruling Margao Civic body and the Fomento, with the company insisting that the Civic body first sign the agreement before initiating work at the Sonsodo dumping site.
The MMC Chairperson, on the other hand, insisted that Fomento take up the work of segregation and screening of the existing waste at the dumping site given the fast approaching monsoons and the time required by the Civic body to ratify the agreement after being vetted by the Municipal lawyer.