TEAM HERALD
PONDA: Despite the State government’s intervention, the row between the agitating market vendors and the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) on the controversial sopo tax is far from over.
While vendors have decided to pay only Rs 6 as sopo tax in the market shed and open area, the PMC has insisted on charging Rs 6 for the open area and Rs 12 in the shed.
At a meeting on Friday, the agitating Ponda vendors unanimously decided to oppose the State government’s proposal to partially rollback the Sopo tax.
It may be recalled that in a meeting between a delegation of Ponda vendors led by Kishore Mamlekar and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar and Ponda MLA Lavu Mamledar on Thursday evening, the government had proposed to reduce the sopo tax from Rs 20 to Rs 12 in the market shed and from Rs 10 to Rs 6 in the open area.
Addressing a news conference in the market, the vendors, who were demanding rollback from Rs 20 to Rs 5, have decided to pay Rs 6 per sq mtr in the market shed and open area.
“We will pay the sopo only to Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) and not to the sopo tax contractor,” said a vendor.
The vendors have appealed to the chief minister and PMC to accept their demand and not to force them to come on the road to agitate. They threatened to intensify their agitation if their demand is not accepted and harassed by PMC.
Justifying the payment of Rs 6 as sopo tax to PMC, the vendors claimed that the Corporation of the City of Panjim has been charging its vendors Rs 10 per sq mtr, while the ‘A’ grade Margao Municipal Council charges Rs 8 per sq mtr.
“Hence, it is only fair for Ponda vendors to pay Rs 6 to PMC, which is a ‘B’ grade council. The Sanguem Municipal Council, which is ‘C’ grade, pays Rs 4 per sq mtr. The government should decide the rates for all the municipalities to avoid clashes between vendors and the municipalities,” said a vendor.
The vendors’ leader, Kishore Mamlekar, said in the past many years, municipalities threatened and recovered and also divided vendors to fulfil their wishes.
A Curti-Khandepar panch, who is also a vendor in Ponda market, said it is not that they opposed the sopo tax, but in last several years they opposed whenever tender was awarded every year.
Mamlekar further said they are suffering due to politics between MGP and BJP in PMC, which is trying to prove its hold in Ponda.
“Ponda MGP MLA Lavu Mamledar is supporting us in our agitation, due to which the council is harassing the vendors,” he said.
PMC firm on revised sopo rates
PONDA: Refusing to bow down to the striking vendors, Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) on Friday adopted the government suggested rates for the Sopo tax and directed its chief officer to take action against those vendors failing to pay the Sopo tax.
At a council meeting on Friday, the PMC passed a resolution to reduce the Sopo tax from Rs 20 to Rs 12 in the shed and from Rs 10 to Rs 6 in the open area, following the revised rates suggested at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in Porvorim on Thursday. The resolution was proposed by Councillor Irvin Soares and seconded by Sunil Desai.
PMC also resolved to collect the Sopo tax from all the vendors as per the revised rates, while the arrears of the Sopo tax would be collected from August 9. The council also issued authority to the chief officer to act against those vendors failing to pay the Sopo tax to the contractor. The chief officer was also asked to calculate the loss due to reduction in Sopo rates. PMC will send the report to DMA regarding its new decision.
