CMC meet ends on stormy note, oppn stages walk out

Ruling body demands transfer of CO within 15 days or threaten stir

THE GOAN NETWORK | JANUARY 05, 2016, 12:00 AM IST

MARGAO

The first ordinary meeting of the Cuncolim Municipal Council held on Monday ended on a stormy note with the opposition staging a walk out, while the ruling body adopting a resolution demanding the transfer of Chief Officer, Pandarinath Naik within 15 days or face a stir.

While the Chief Officer was conspicuous by his absence, the Council headed by Chairperson Lavita Mascarenhas went ahead with the meeting in the CO’s absence. The ruling Council also adopted a resolution to suspend Councillor Polita Carneiro for the next meeting for what the ruling group claimed as abusing the chairperson.

When Chairperson Lavita Mascarenhas called the meeting to order, the five-member opposition group in the 12-member Council led by Ashok Fadte took the Chairperson to task for not providing the minutes of the special meeting along with the meeting notice and the agenda. When the ruling group tried to defend the lapse by saying that the ruling councillors are relatively new, the opposition insisted that the rules mandate the Council to provide the minutes of the meeting along with the agenda and called for adjournment of the meeting, a demand rejected by the Vice Chairperson Mario Moraes.

The opposition also demanded to know how come the Vice Chairperson answers the questions when they are directed at the Chairperson, triggering arguments and counter arguments from both sides. The opposition were also involved in heated exchanges with Harison, husband of the CMC Chairperson, with the opposition insisting that the husband has no right to speak at the meeting.

After the meeting, opposition Councillor Ashok Fadte said that the opposition decided to boycott the meeting for the failure to provide them the minutes of the special meeting. He said the group also briefed the Director of Municipal Administration on the actions of the ruling group.

CMC Vice Chairperson Mario Moraes, on the other hand, told the media that the Council was well within its power to hold the meeting in the absence of the Chief Officer. He said the Council has adopted a resolution seeking transfer of the CO within 15 days, warning that the Council will stop signing the cheques and take over the administration if the government fails to act on the resolution. He further said the ruling body will go on a hunger strike in support of its demand.

On the business transacted at the meeting, Moraes said the Council also adopted a resolution to demolish all the unauthorised structures from the land acquired near the bus stand and also clear the encroachments in the land in order to plan an administrative complex.

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CO Pandarinath takes leave, skips meet

MARGAO: Cuncolim Municipal Chief Officer, Pandarinath Naik has said he could not attend Monday’s meeting of the Council since he had proceeded on half day leave, even as the CO submitted a report to the Director of Municipal Administration Elvis Gomes on the functioning of the Council since the last two months.

“How could I attend the meeting when the elected Council told me about the change of timing only in the morning and I had an appointment with the doctor in the evening," the CMC Chief Officer questioned. He accused the Council for keeping him in the dark on the question of fixing the meeting and its agenda, saying that he has briefed DMA Elvis Gomes on the situation in the civic body.

“I would have attended the meeting if I was informed of the change in time. They just sent a corrigendum in my chamber when I was very much present in the civic body," Naik said.

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