Daijiworld Media Network - Margao

Margao, Jun 29: The Shadow Council for Margao (SCM) has called on citizens and business owners to step up their protest against the recent hike in trade licence, signage, and sanitation fees levied on commercial establishments, particularly those operating from private premises.

At a public interaction, SCM members claimed the fee hike unfairly targets private business owners, while municipally owned units escape scrutiny. They alleged that of over 800 Margao Municipal Council (MMC)-owned units, only 16 have valid trade licences, sparking accusations of a double standard in the enforcement of municipal regulations.

Lincoln Gomes, a member of the Council, encouraged more business owners to formally reject the revised fees, noting that several have already submitted written refusals to the MMC, citing that the hike was not passed in line with council resolutions. “The time has come for united resistance,” Gomes said.

Responding to the MMC Chairperson’s claim that fee collections have increased to several crores, SCM convenor Savio Coutinho dismissed the figures as misleading. “When you raise a Rs 100 fee to Rs 500, of course the revenue will increase fivefold—but this doesn’t mean people are paying willingly. Most are doing it out of compulsion, as the renewed trade licence is needed for official purposes. This is not compliance; it’s coerced extortion,” he said.

SCM also slammed the lack of enforcement on municipal premises, accusing the MMC of selective governance and failure to hold its own properties to the same legal standards.

Coutinho warned that the issue would be taken to the public court during the upcoming municipal elections, cautioning elected councillors supporting the hike to prepare for electoral backlash. Meanwhile, some aggrieved traders are reportedly preparing to pursue legal action.

The SCM vowed to continue mobilising support and intensifying the agitation unless the fee hike is withdrawn and equitable enforcement of licensing norms is ensured.