Municipality’s decision to return vehicle stuck in red tape
the goan I network
MARGAO
In another development, though it’s a week now since Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai has stopped using the official car following the bitter row over the purchase of the brand new car costing Rs 18 lakh, the civic body has still not returned the car to the company, as the decision is stuck in red tape, with municipal officials awaiting nod from the Director of Municipal Administration.
Sources in the know said the ACB, Vigilance had asked for the official file pertaining to the purchase of the new car and the MMC officials have handed over the file to the investigating agency. “No sooner the Vigilance had called for the official for investigation, the concerned Municipal official had handed over the file to the investigating agency,” sources in the Municipality told The Goan.
The ACB probe comes following a complaint lodged by city-based lawyer, Adv Rajiv Gomes seeking a detailed probe into the purchase of the swanky car at a cost of Rs 18 lakh when the civic body is entitled for a vehicle costing around Rs 11.5 lakh.
Adv Gomes had called for the probe and to initiate proceedings against Chairperson Babita Angle and Chief Officer Y B Tawde under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Meanwhile, even as it’s a week now, the Chairperson has started using her private vehicle in the discharge of her official duties, while the decision to return the Toyota Innova car back to the company has not materialised till date.
The white-coloured Toyota Innova car is parked in front of the Municipal building for a week now, with neither the Chairperson using the car nor the Municipality returning it back to the company as per the Chairperson’s decision.
When The Goan contacted the Chief Officer to shed light on the delay in returning the car back to the company, he said the civic body is awaiting a nod from the Director of Municipal Administration. “The Municipality has written a detailed letter to the DMA’s office seeking permission to return the car back to the company and the circumstances that has led the civic body to take such a decision,” Tawde said, adding that the vehicle will be returned to the company after the civic body receives the go ahead signal from the DMA’s office.
The MMC Chairperson had taken the decision to return the new car back to the company and to bear the difference of money arising out of the depreciation of the vehicle.
