The aggrieved vendors gathered at the Ponda Police station and complained that the four persons had overcharged them the and had forcefully obtained their signatures on some papers.
They claimed that some vendors were threatened and not allowed to enact business in the municipal market.
Speaking to media, an elderly woman said she has been doing business for 30 years, but they are being overcharged for the first time. “We are left with no earnings and to earn some profit, we have no option than to increase the prices of the goods,” she said.
When contacted, Gurudas Dumal and the other three sopo collectors denied having harassed the vendors or overcharging sopo tax. They claimed that some vendors had lodged a false complaint against them.
When contacted, Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar said he had received many complaints from the vendors that they were being overcharged by the sopo contractor.
“PMC should work for the betterment of the poor vendors. PMC should either reduce sopo tax or terminate the sopo tender in the interest of the vendors. I will demand an enquiry in the sopo tender in the assembly session,” said Mamledar.
