MMC collects Rs 15 lakh fees from Bodgeshwar fair stalls

The Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has earned revenue of around Rs 15 lakh in the form of sopo and garbage tax from over 600 stalls put up at the fair of the 13-day annual Shri Dev Bodgeshwar Jatra.

The famous jatra had started on January 24 and attracted thousands of devotees from all over Goa.

Stalls selling sweets, clothes, toys, utensils etc, besides recreational games which included giant wheel, dragon train, slides and other activities were put up.

A sopo fee of Rs 800 per running metre including garbage tax was charged by the civic body. MMC chairperson Priya Mishal said that they had last year collected revenue of around Rs 11 lakh from vendors. She said that the workers have been clearing the garbage from the fair site on a daily basis and that the remaining garbage will also be cleared.

This year the jatra has witnessed a ruckus over the popular gobi manchurian stalls with MMC raiding them over concerns of poor hygiene, and use of synthetic colours. MMC chairperson Priya Mishal said, “The councillors said that such vendors operate in unhygienic conditions and use synthetic colours which prompted us to ban the sale of this dish.” Ahead of the jatra, the MMC has resolved not to allow these stalls