Despite the lapse for 10 years, civic body failed to initiate action
MAPUSA
Three petrol pumps in Mapusa have been operating illegally on municipal land for nearly 10 years, having failed to renew their lease agreements with the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) since 2016-17.
Despite the lapse, the MMC has reportedly taken no action to recover dues or initiate the renewal process, raising serious questions about administrative accountability and loss of public revenue.
The two Bharat Petroleum outlets operated by S N Burye, and a Hindustan Petroleum pump run by V S Ticlo & Sons, continue to function on MMC property, although their lease agreements expired in 2017 and 2016 respectively.
The pumps, spread over areas ranging from 100 to 595 square meters, had previously signed 10-year leases at a rate of Rs 55 per square meter per month, with a 10% increment every three years.
According to the lease terms, any delay of three months in rent payment should result in recovery proceedings under Chapter X of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968, with 15 per cent interest on arrears.
However, no recovery has been attempted to date, nor has the lease been renewed.
Legal expert and former Advocate General Carlos Ferreira commented that the continued operation of the petrol pumps without a valid lease is illegal.
“Government or municipal land cannot be leased indefinitely. The land should ideally be auctioned if the lease has expired,” he said.
Despite the legal concerns, Mapusa Chief Officer Chandrakant Shetkar downplayed the matter, stating that the lease renewal process is “pending” and there is “nothing illegal” about the current operations.
Verla-Canca resident Deepak Gadekar, in a letter to the Secretary of Minister of State Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and other authorities in the State, has demanded immediate action.
Calling it a “blatant instance of corruption,” Gadekar alleged that under-the-table payments may be enabling the unlawful continuation of business.
“It is imperative that decisive action be undertaken against the individuals accountable within the Mapusa Municipal Council who have neglected to recover the rental amounts,” Gadekar said.
He has urged the suspension of operations, recovery of dues and re-auctioning of the municipal land.
As public scrutiny grows, the Mapusa Municipal Council faces mounting pressure to clarify its stance and initiate corrective measures.
