PANAJI: Taxpayers in Panaji are suffering as a result of Panaji municipal market vendors not signing agreements and not paying rent to the corporation for decades, mayor Rohit Monserrate said on Monday.
“The corporation cannot afford to maintain the place. We have spent Rs 2.5 crore paying the market’s electricity bill and another Rs 50 lakh on water bills. The CCP is not getting any revenue from these vendors. Basically they are using taxpayers’ money to benefit themselves, which cannot be allowed to happen. We have lost out on crores of rupees worth of rent,” Monserrate told reporters, adding that the same vendors are asking for their shops to be repaired.
CCP commissioner Agnelo Fernandes said the corporation will begin issuing eviction notices to those who are refusing to sign leave and licence agreements.
Monserrate said the CCP doesn’t have sealing powers or powers to evict. “We can only issue memos and ask them to leave and keep increasing penalties and fines, but as fines grow they are less likely to pay them and that is the issue we are actually facing,” he said.
When asked how much outstanding dues are owed to the corporation, Monserrate said “crores of rupees”. “This is money we have taken out for development work, which we cannot use to fund these people. We are spending Rs 3.5 crore to do development work in 16 wards and you can imagine the amount of work left out in the city because these people are not paying their dues. It is a huge cost that the city has to pay,” he said, adding that taxpayers are suffering as a result.
Fernandes said the CCP is maintaining the building, clearing it, removing paan stains, addressing the water accumulation issue, carrying out minor repairs and fixing new light fixtures in the whole market all at its own cost.
The corporation will ask GSUDA to prepare a comprehensive plan for a drainage system so that there is no flooding for the next 20 years. It will then try and get funding for the work to be carried out. CCP will also look for a solution to the flooding in Camrabhat.
Monserrate said the CCP will issue one parking pass to each house number in Panaji for those who don’t have their own parking spaces. Shopkeepers and those staying on rent will not get this benefit, he said.
All the streetlight fixtures in Panaji will be replaced under the Smart City mission. Monserrate also appealed to people to settle outstanding dues and at least pay their principal amount, which can be used by the corporation for development work.
