Revise sopo or face bandh, market vendors warn PMC

PONDA: Continuing their agitation against the raised sopo rates, vendors at Ponda municipal market have threatened a bandh if the tax is not revised within eight days.
Ponda municipal council (PMC) chairperson Radhika Naik countered that the tender for the tax has been issued in accordance with laws.
PMC's former chairperson, Kishor Mamlekar, who is leading the market vendors in the agitation, told reporters that they are against the hike and the tax being collected by a contractor.
"We are not against paying sopo, but it should be reasonable and PMC should collect it," he said. He alleged hanky-panky in the tender, claiming the tax has been upped to 20 per sq m from 5 per sq m but the tender amount has stayed the same as the past two years at 50-60 lakh. He also claimed the increased rates could not be charged by a 'B' grade civic body like PMC, and such charges were being levelled only by the 'A' grade corporation of the city of Panaji.
Refuting the allegations, Naik said the tender has been calculated as per the immediate past year's amount and no rate condition is in place.