Team Goemkarponn
PERNEM: Alleging blatant favouritism towards contractors from neighbouring states, the Goan Earthmoving and Construction Equipment Owners Association (GECEOA) has warned of a tax boycott if local operators continue to be sidelined in Goa’s infrastructure projects.
Speaking at Pernem on Thursday, GECEOA President Avinash Bhobe expressed serious concern over illegal works being carried out in the area by non-Goan contractors, allegedly without valid permits or necessary approvals.
“We were in Pernem when we realised that an outsider contractor was awarded some work,” Bhobe said. “When we checked further, we found that not only was the work awarded to a non-Goan contractor, but he had also brought in trucks and heavy machinery from outside the state.”
Bhobe alleged that one of the trucks involved in the project, bearing Karnataka registration, lacked documentation. “We questioned the truck driver who showed me a photo on his mobile as a form of identification. But the vehicle had no permits to operate in Goa nor any receipts of taxes paid to the Goa government,” he claimed.
According to GECEOA, the contractor in question had not obtained any of the mandatory approvals yet was operating without any fear of consequences. “We are paying all the necessary taxes and fees, and perhaps that is why we are not getting contracts,” Bhobe said. “The government prefers such illegal and clandestine operations because they are cheaper—outsider contractors do not pay taxes, and we are left struggling with loans.”
Bhobe said the association had called the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to the site and demanded verification of all relevant documents. “We will not allow this truck to move out unless proper action is taken. If the vehicle is released due to political interference, none of our association’s members will pay taxes henceforth,” he warned. “We have trailers and other heavy vehicles, and we will run them without paying a single rupee in taxes—just like these outsiders.”
He further questioned the authorities’ silence and inaction. “We want to know who is blessing these illegal operators. Why should honest Goans suffer despite generating revenue for the state while illegal operators thrive without paying a paisa?”
Bhobe also highlighted the neglect faced by local operators, particularly those from Pernem, a region undergoing rapid development due to the new airport at Mopa. “There is a lot of work happening in the Pernem constituency, especially around the Mopa Airport. But it’s shocking that all these works are being handed to non-Goan contractors,” he said.
He added that local residents who had lost land for development had neither been offered employment nor business opportunities. “We have invested heavily, taken loans, and purchased machinery. After the mining ban, we were already struggling. We were hopeful that infrastructure works would help us survive. But now the government is turning its back on us too.”
Bhobe warned of large-scale protests if the situation continued. “What are Goans supposed to do when the government continues to support outsiders and ignore locals?” he asked. “We will be forced to take to the streets and agitate. The government must understand—they are pushing us towards this.”
