Goemkarponn desk
MAPUSA: As a protest against the show-cause notices issued by Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC), the shopkeepers from Mapusa Municipal market closed their shops and gathered outside the Mapusa Municipality office.
The Mapusa Merchants Association also demanded that an ordinance be issued to protect the interest of the vendors and to sort out the issue.
“We demand that an ordinance be issued to protect the interest of the vendors and to sort out the issue. Already, MMC has issued around 309 show-cause notices to the original leaseholders of the shops and stalls for allegedly subleasing the municipal property to third parties,” the shop vendors said.
They said that they had unanimously resolved to approach the deputy speaker and Mapusa MLA, besides the urban development minister, seeking to bring in the ‘necessary’ amendment to the Goa Municipalities Act, taking into account that thousands of Goans are directly or indirectly “affected” and keeping in mind the vision of the chief minister of ‘Swayampurna Goa.’
The vendors also met local MLA Joshua D’souza. He has assured me of all possible help, they informed.
Over the issue of renewal of lease agreements of MMC-owned shops and stalls, the Mapusa municipal council has issued around 309 show-cause notices to the original leaseholders of the shops and stalls for allegedly subleasing the municipal property to third parties.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa had recently issued notice to the Mapusa Chief Officer Amitesh Shirvoikar directing him to file a reply within two weeks in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) where the petitioner, Jawaharlal Shetye, had alleged that the civic body refused to take action against sub-letting of municipal properties in the market.
The petitioner also contended that the municipal officials have refused to take action against lessees who continued to possess the property beyond three years of the lease period without renewing the agreement.
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