Dharwad: Seizure of shops by the Hubballi Dharwad Muncipal Corporation (HDMC) staff for not paying stallage fee, continued for the second day on Friday wherein numerous shops in Dharwad were sealed.
The HDMC staff conducted the drive in Nehru market in the wee hours of Friday which led to a verbal dual between them and shop owners.
On Thursday, too more than 50 shops were sealed in Dharwad for not paying the stallage fee and notices were issued to 389 shop owners directing them to pay the stallage fees.
Officials warned the shop owners who have maintained outstanding fee to pay it soon failing which all the 389 shops would be locked.
Some of the shopkeepers entered into a heated argument with the HDMC officials for locking their shops. They contended that they will not be paying the stallage fees until the State Government fixed the fees.
The shop owners said the government had assured of floating an uniform policy to all the urban local bodies on stallage fee. At present, the stallage fee is being fixed by the respective urban local bodies.
However, two years have lapsed since the government’s assurance and till date, no such policy has been enforced, they said.
Officials stated that HDMC Commissioner Siddhalingayya Hiremath on Thursday, had directed to seal the shops which had huge outstanding amounts in the form of stallage fee. He further said that 15 days ago, the HDMC had directed 489 shopkeepers to pay their outstanding amount and get their licences renewed. However, only 100 shopkeepers had come forward to pay the stallage fee. The 50 shops which were locked on Thursday had maintained an outstanding amount of Rs 50 lakh.
