Mapusa is bracing for a complete commercial shutdown on June 23 as the Mapusa Merchants’ Association (MMA) intensifies its protest against the controversial sanitation fee imposed by the local municipal council. Citing failed negotiations and arbitrary taxation, the traders’ collective has vowed to paralyse operations in the city’s busiest market zone, calling the protest a battle for fairness and accountability.
In a strongly worded declaration, the MMA announced a voluntary closure of all commercial activities on June 23. Traders, professionals, and service providers are expected to join the movement, which aims to protest what the MMA terms as an illegal and retrospective sanitation fee imposed without a valid council resolution. They accused the Mapusa Municipal Council of bypassing democratic procedures and imposing financial burdens unfairly.
MMA president Jeetendra Falari condemned the recent meeting chaired by the local MLA and Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) officials as a “sham.” Traders said no concrete decisions emerged, and the issues remained unresolved. They have issued four key demands: immediate revision of the sanitation fee, no retrospective collection, refunds for prior payments, and an extension of the trade licence renewal deadline.
Former MMA president Ashish Shirodkar criticised the council for operating outside legal bounds. He said the sanitation fee lacks the legitimacy of council approval and urged all 20 councillors to call a special meeting to rectify the decision. The MMA leadership also warned of escalating action if the demands are not met, while reiterating that essential services would not be disrupted during the shutdown.
In response, Mapusa MLA claimed that most trader demands had already been addressed, including limiting the fee’s application to FY 2025–26 and holding off on retrospective collections pending legal opinion. He alleged the protest now appeared politically motivated and designed to discredit both the council and his leadership. “There seems to be another interest behind this move,” he said, urging reconsideration.
As tensions build, the June 23 shutdown is shaping into a high-stakes standoff between local traders and civic authorities in Mapusa. While the MMA insists the protest is a fight for just governance, the MLA’s claims of resolution and political motives complicate the narrative. Whether the market protest forces policy corrections or deepens rifts in local governance, Monday’s shutdown could set a precedent across Goa.
