Margao: The Shadow Council for Margao has come down heavily on Margao Municipal Council for allowing the defaulting Sopo contractor to collect fees from the traders around the city, despite his tenure expired.
SCM Convener Mr. Savio Coutinho stated that the *term of the Sopo Contractor has expired on 31st March* as such he has no authority to collect occupation fees.
*”Merely taking a resolution does not authorize the Contractor to collect fees. A valid authority letter needs to be issued to the Contractor”*, Mr. Coutinho stated. In the present situation, there is no such authorisation letter issued to the Contractor, and the collection he has resorted to is absolutely illegal, Mr. Coutinho charged.
We have already submitted representations to all the concerned authorities and we will do everything it takes to *penalize the people responsible for causing immense losses to the public exchequer,* Mr. Coutinho stated further.
We demand that the Chief Officer immediately stop the Contractor from collecting the occupation fees, and forthright make arrangements to collect the fees departmentally.
SCM was well aware that the Chairperson would delay in preparing the Council minutes of 24th March, so as to grant backdoor opportunity to the Contractor to collect the fees. The Council is hereby cautioned against doing illegal acts, or face the consequences.
