Team Herald
MARGAO: Margao Municipal Council Deputy Chairperson Tito Cardoso asserted that the council should formulate some policy to protect the interest of those managing the Horticulture Corporation sponsored carts selling vegetables at a reasonable price in Margao.
The MMC has issued a show cause notice to all the owners of Horticulture Corporation sponsored carts to either register themselves and pay trade tax or to face action within seven days of receipt of the notice dated November 15, 2017.
Around 16 owners of such carts from Fatorda met their MLA and Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai along with Tito to discuss the issue. They pointed that never before they were asked to register with the MMC and hence had started their business as soon as they got the license from the Horticulture Corporation.
However, some disclosed that their applications were rejected by the MMC as their outlets were erected in area marked for road widening and the MMC said they could not issue trade license for such outlets.
There were some who started this business 13 years ago and have been surviving on it solely while some have been issued the carts around five years ago.
“Most of these vendors are ethnic Goans in Fatorda area and they have to be protected and helped,” said Tito who led them to the minister. Following discussions with Vijai, Tito who is the market committee chairman of MMC agreed to work out some policy to save these carts
“At the moment we are clearing the garbage generated by these carts without charging them anything, which is not quite fair and the MMC has to get some money for giving this service,” said Tito while explaining why registering for trade tax is important.
