With protests mounting, council's unyielding position sets the stage for a clash with opposition
The protest by citizens and political parties demanding a rollback in the revised fees and taxes.
Photo Credits: The Goan/File photo
MARGAO
The battle lines seemed drawn between taxpayers and the Margao civic body over the implementation of revised fees and taxes in the new financial year beginning on April 1.
While the Margao Municipal Council is going ahead with the implementation of the fees on a host of services from the coming financial year, taxpayers seemed equally determined to resort to a civil disobedience movement, as they have threatened to stop payment of taxes to the civic body if the MMC goes ahead with the implementation of the fee hike from April 1.
The opposition Goa Forward Party and the Congress are gearing up to intensify their agitation against the BJP-controlled Margao Municipal Council, accusing the ruling body of effecting a hike in taxes and fees while turning a blind eye to the rampant revenue leakages.
That the BJP-controlled civic body has ignored the protests and rejected the plea for a rollback of the hike became evident when the council forwarded the new fees and rates to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for implementation.
In fact, Margao civic chief Damu Shirodkar has firmly ruled out the possibility of any rollback in the fees approved by the civic body. He told 'The Goan' on Monday that the MMC has submitted the new fees and rates to the NIC for feeding into the system to pave the way for the implementation of the rates from the new financial year.
“There is no rollback of the fees. We have submitted the new fees and rates to the NIC for implementation. It may take a day or two for the system to notify the new fees,” he said.
The MMC chief made it amply clear that there would be no rollback of the new fees and rates, rejecting the demand of the citizens for a rollback. “These rates and fees have been revised after a gap of two decades. The fees revised by the council are reasonable. The council has streamlined the trade licence fees. Henceforth, shopping malls will have to pay higher trade licence fees compared to small shops,” Damu added.
Citizens, however, expressed their determination to launch a civil disobedience movement from the new financial year if the council goes ahead with the new rates. “Citizens, along with traders, will intensify the ongoing agitation from the new financial year if any attempt is made to implement the fees,” the citizens warned.
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Civic chief defends hike, says BJP leaders support move
MARGAO: Margao civic chief Damu Shirodkar has said the new fees and rates revised by the civic body have found favour with BJP leaders, including Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and BJP State president Damu Naik.
He said the leaders are convinced that the new fees will not burden the common man since other municipal bodies have been implementing the rates for a long time now.
“I have not received any communiqué from party leaders, including the Margao MLA and party president, to keep the fees on hold or to roll back the fees. Hence, the MMC is going ahead with the implementation of the new rates,” he said.
When his attention was drawn to the demand raised by BJP councillor Camilo Barretto to roll back the hike, the MMC chairperson said that party leaders have taken cognisance of the opposition expressed by the ruling councillor.
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Political chess as Margao MLA steps in to address civic issues
MARGAO: Come April 1, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat has promised to personally intervene to mete out justice to Madgavkars at the Margao Municipal Council.
The opposition, comprising the Goa Forward Party, seemed equally determined to checkmate the BJP-controlled municipal council over the fee hike, setting the stage for the battle between the BJP and the opposition in the run-up to the civic polls due early 2021.
While the Margao MLA had promised to intervene in the civic body from April 1 to streamline the administration and provide relief to Madgavkars, the opposition appears eager to capitalise on the MMC’s move to what they call a “steep” hike in the fees and rates.
Goa Forward-backed Margao councillors, as well as party leaders, have all joined the ongoing agitation demanding a rollback of the fees and rates effected by the civic body. The Congress, though having no representation in the 25-member civic body post-defection by the Margao MLA Digambar Kamat in 2022, has seized the opportunity over the fee hike to re-establish itself as a force in the city after Kamat’s exit from the party. Congress leaders Orville Rodrigues, Rajan Ghate, and others, all rallied behind Madgavkars last week to show their solidarity with the protesting citizens demanding a rollback.
The Margao MLA has not yet spoken his mind over the MMC’s move to effect a hike in the fees, coming as it does in an election year. Sources, however, say Kamat has a task cut out to defend the council’s decision and take on the joint opposition.
