Margao: Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Dr. Babita Prabhudessai held the much awaited meeting with traders to discuss the vexing sanitation tax. The revised tax structure is by and large acceptable to all and should be implemented by July with the last date for payments being end of August.
Speaking to mediapersons Dr. Prabhudessai said the traders had largely accepted the revised tax structure worked out by the council except for a few differences. However, she said the traders wanted to place the revised structure at their general body meeting which will be held in next month following which they will revert to the council.
She disclosed the traders had initially requested that they be charged the same rates as those charged for residential houses, which the council rejected. It has now been fixed at Rs. 1200 per annum for shops instead of the Rs. 1800 fixed earlier.
She said the council had worked out a relaxation scheme for traders of the New Market and Gandhi Market given the fact that many of them who were paying sopo earlier have now converted those areas into shops with shutters.
Prashant Naik of the vendors association said the new rates which are reduced in some cases and increased in some cases are acceptable to the traders and they would be implemented once the formalities are completed.
Vinod Shirodkar of the New Market Shop Owners Association lamented the council was not taxing those who create most of the garbage like the ones who carry out their business either early in the morning or late evening and particularly referred to those selling things on the footpaths who are left scot free.
He argued that the trade license owners who are carrying out legal business are being taxed while those carrying on illegal business have it rosy as nobody takes any action against them.
It may be recalled that the Chairperson was gheraoed over this matter on 18th April 2017 when she had agreed that the tax appeared to be exorbitant and assured to meet the traders once the rates were revised.
