Ponda vendors want same sopo plan as Mapusa

PONDA: Agitating Ponda market vendors have demanded the same sopo tariff plan that is being followed at the Mapusa market.
Vendors said that during the meeting on Tuesday with deputy chief minister Francis DSouza who is also the Mapusa MLA, he told the delegation that 10 is being charged per individual vendor.
Stating that if the same pattern is being followed in Mapusa, vendors' leader Kishor alias Manikrao Mamlekar questioned why the Ponda municipal council (PMC) could not apply the same at its market.
He said that the PMC delegation had also met senior ministers on Thursday and following their suggestions, PMC has resolved to revise the sopo tariff to 12 per sq mt to vendors occupying the municipal market and 6 to vendors conducting business in the open area outside the market.
Mamlekar said on Friday that they were confused over the criteria of the new sopo tariff, and they were ready to pay the fee with immediate effect if the new rates are per individual and not per sq m.
"We don't have any objection in paying 12 if it's charged per individual, but we would not pay it charged per sq m," Mamlekar said.
He added that the vendors would meet local legislator Lavoo Mamledar on Sunday and request him to confirm the sopo criteria with D'Souza who holds the urban development portfolio under which municipalities work.
The vendors have refused to pay the sopo tax according to the new rates on Saturday and said that they would decide the future course of action on Monday.