According to Naik, the vendors in the market shed had opposed to pay sopo tax to the sopo collector and had claimed that they would only pay sopo tax to the PMC.
“Accordingly, PMC decided to collect sopo as per their wishes and had sent a PMC staff team along with PMC market inspector to collect sopo,” informed Naik. “The vendors still refused to pay sopo tax.”
Expressing surprise over the behaviour of the vendors, Naik sought to know what exactly the vendors were expecting from the PMC.
“PMC owns the market and has the right to take decision in regard to market sopo tax and other decisions. Some vendors in the market shed launched agitation against sopo tax hike and were demanding a rollback of the sopo tax. They also opposed the sopo collection by a sopo contractor, who had been legally awarded the contract,” he said.
“The motive is to preserve their encroachment in the market shed, some of which are also given on rent,” he added.
“The fish vendors in Ponda market and vendors in the open market are paying sopo tax to the sopo contractor, while PMC staff was only collecting sopo from the vendors in the market shed. Some vendors are instigating other vendors by playing this double game policy only for selfish motives,” said Naik.
