the goan I network
MARGAO
Absence of Margao Municipal Council Chief Officer Siddivinayak Naik since Wednesday till date has hit the civic administration, so much so that his absence had delayed issuance of a number of orders and notices by the civic body.
The MMC Chief Officer had headed to Bangalore for a training programme on Wednesday and since then the administration had come to a stand-still, literally for want of a Chief Officer. Normally, when the Margao Chief Officer proceeds on leave or head for a training programme out of station, the Mormugao Chief Officer assumes charge of the Margao municipality given his status as the link officer.
Incidentally, sources in the know pointed out that the Mormugao Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes did not visit the Margao municipality till date as he was apparently unaware of the absence of the MMC Chief Officer.
It is still unclear whether Siddivinayak Naik had informed the Margao Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai or the Director of Municipal Administration R Menaka of his decision to travel to Bangalore for a training programme.
Given the absence of the Chief Officer from Wednesday till date, the Margao Municipal Council could not issue the notice extending the time frame for prospective contractors to bid for the long delayed multi-level parking project. The tender for the Rs 5.58 crore multi-level parking project was opened by the Margao municipality on Thursday last, but the absence of the Chief Officer till date has delayed the issuance of the notice extending the time frame for the contractors to place their bids for the project.
Sources in the municipality further informed that the Chief Officer’s absence was also felt as the civic body could not issue orders to engage daily wage workers for the garbage management.
The civic body had planned to appoint a MSW coordinator upon the payment of a fixed amount, but the notice inviting prospective candidates is not yet issued since it is awaiting signature from the administrative head, sources added.
As was reported by The Goan, the absence of the Chief Officer had left litigants in the lurch as hearings on quasi-judicial matters were all adjourned since Wednesday till date.
