The Times of India              19.12.2013

MMC allows exhibitions but ups fees; online system from December 23

MARGAO: At a special meeting held at the Margao municipal council (MMC) on Wednesday, councillors rejected the demand of the New Market Vendors Association to stop exhibitions-cum-sales organized in the city.

Instead, councillors decided to double the fees being paid by organizers of exhibitions from 25,000 to 50,000, and to double the fees for garbage collection from 5,000 to 10,000. An online payment facility was also decided upon. The system is expected to be operational by December 23.

The civic body further decided to appoint a committee to look at the area demarcated for parking during exhibitions and to also look at the prospect of commercial revenue from parking fees.

The New Market vendors had recently carried out a dharna objecting to the exhibitions on grounds that they eat into their profits. The vendors had also pointed out that they have to pay various fees for licences and permissions annually, while exhibition organizers do not take necessary permissions from authorities.

South Goa district collector N D Agrawal had made his stand clear on the row over banning exhibitions and sales when a delegation of Margao's New Market traders, led by president Vinod Shirodkar, MMC chairperson Dayanand Deulkar and chief officer Deepali Naik had called on him earlier this week.

"Whether sales and exhibitions are to be banned or not falls within the purview of the Margao municipality. The collector has no role to play in the matter. Our role is restricted to security and law and order," he had said. Based on this meeting with the collector, the MMC special meeting was convened.

After deciding on the exhibition issue, the issue of earning revenue for the municipality was raised.

The chief officer told the councillors that a private agency would be appointed to conduct a survey of all residential and commercial establishments that fall under the municipality's jurisdiction for recovery of tax arrears.

The councillors also deliberated on the need for additional staff per ward and it was decided to start the process of recruiting more staff. Sources said staff would be hired by February, in view of the pre-monsoon works that are usually carried out from that month onwards.