VALPOI: The Valpoin Muncipal Council authorities have been caught napping as the operator of Valpoi cinema theatre, housed within the municipality’s administrative-cum-commercial building, has disappeared without clearing the pending rent, estimated to be at least Rs 50 lakh.
The Valpoi Muncipal Council had sent numerous reminders to the theatre owner regarding payment of the dues, but he allegedly did not respond to the letters. Now the locals have demanded that the municipality should declare him as absconding.
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The then Poriem MLA Pratapsingh Rane had inaugurated the theatre in the presence of Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane in 2018. This had given the Sattari film lovers a great relief as earlier they had to travel to Bicholim or all the way to Panjim if they had to see a movie in the theatres.
The cinema theatre operated for about eight months however, not a single instalment of rent was paid to the municipality.
The lacklustre response by the audience after a while forced the owner to cease the operations and it has remained shut for last two years. The municipality has been trying to recover the arrears for more than a year, but with no success. All the reminders sent to him have been returned to the Council.
“The municipality has been trying to recover the pending rent for more than a year, but the letters sent by the civic body to the theatre owner came back. We should have taken serious action against him for defaulting much earlier,” said municipal chief officer Suryajirao Rane.
