Advance transfer fees plan for shops stirs protest in Mormugao council

Vasco: Some councillors of the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) have strongly objected to the municipality accepting advance transfer fees from occupiers/sublettees of shops or stalls within its jurisdiction.
The point of contention is that in line with an earlier resolution, the council had decided to transfer shops or stalls only to the blood relations of the original owners.
Councillor Fredricks Henriques who was among those who opposed the move said that the decision might cause legal troubles.
“The incumbent council will not be responsible for the acceptance of advance transfer fees from occupiers/sublettees, as it is against the law,” Henriques said. “The council has never resolved or adopted any kind of proposal to accept transfer fees in advance from the occupiers or sublettees.” He added, “The officials of the municipality will be held responsible for accepting advance transfer fees. The council has earlier resolved to accept advance transfer fees from only those who are blood relations.”
The other councillors who have opposed the move are Deepak Naik and Yatin Kamurlekar.
Interestingly, the municipal authorities have accepted advance transfer fees from 15 occupiers/sublettees, totalling more than Rs 19 lakh. The officials have also accepted transfer fees from blood relations of 14 stall-cum-shop owners, amounting to Rs 36.7 lakh.