TEAM HERALD
VASCO: Mormugao Municipal councillors on Friday objected to a hike in market tax (Sopo) from Rs 3 to 10.
When Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Fiola Rego tabled the issue before the council at a meeting, most councillors objected to the rise in Sopo.
Councillor Saifullha Khan stated that if MMC increases the rate, then vegetable and fruit vendors would recover the amount from customers by increasing the rate of their products. “As there is no maintenance of the vegetable market, MMC should not increase the Sopo,” demanded Khan.
Chief Officer Deepali Naik said maintenance can be taken up only if there is sizeable rise in the tax. “When vendors pay a paltry sum of Rs 3 per sq mtr, it is not feasible to maintain the market,” added Naik.
Councillor Nitin Chopdekar opined that since the vendors are poor, they will not be able to afford the increased rate of Rs 10 per sq mtr and as such the council should maintain the old rate.
Councillor Tara Kerkar, chairman of the market committee, supporting the rise in price, said if vendors cannot pay the hiked price, then they are free to leave the space. “There are many other vendors who are ready to pay higher price and occupy the space to sell their products,” added Kerkar. “Most of the vegetable vendors have illegally occupied extra area and yet they pay only for the space earmarked for them by MMC,” alleged Kerkar.
Kerkar urged the council to conduct a market survey and charge an additional amount to those who have illegally occupied extra area.
As most councillors were not in a mood to allow implementing the increased price, the council settled for Rs 5 per square metre.
Rego said every three years the rate will be assessed and a minimum amount will be increased for the space occupied by fruit and vegetable vendors.
