the goan I network
MARGAO
In fact, Vijai Sardesai went a step further and said that reports that Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai, who belongs to his group, will be replaced after Assembly poll results are announced after March 11, is just a figment of imagination of some persons.
Both Vijai and Digambar pointed out that there’s no question of replacing Babita Angle Prabhudesai, adding that there was no agreement amongst the two groups to rotate the Chairperson’s post after the Assembly election.
“Where’s the question of rotating the post of MMC Chairperson when Babita is doing a good job. There’s not even an allegation levelled against the chairperson. I do not know who is trying to create this confusion amongst the ruling Alliance. This appears to be a figment of imagination,” he said.
On the other hand, Digambar too pointed out that there was no agreement between the two groups to change the Chairperson after the Assembly election. “At the most, we may just meet to take stock of the situation. But, there was never any decision to change the Chairperson after the Assembly poll,” he asserted.
In the 25-member Margao Municipal Council, the Vijai-led Goa Forward group has 11 councillors and has the support of an Independent councillor, taking the number of councillors supporting the GF party group to 12. Digambar Kamat-backed councillors had a total strength of six members, but has now been reduced to five, after Colmorod Councillor Jaffar Budani parted ways last year.
Sources in the Vijai camp pointed out that the group is unlikely to concede the post of Chairperson to the Digambar group in the civic body, irrespective of the outcome of the Assembly election, as the group enjoys 12-member support in the 25-member body. The strength of the BJP-backed councillors has now risen to seven after Arthur D’Silva, Suchita Malkarnekar and Jaffar Budani joined.
In fact, all eyes are now focused on the Vijai camp, whether the group will stake its claim for the post of vice-chairperson, which is held by the Digambar Kamat-group. For, Vijai had promised ST community leaders and people from Fatorda on the eve of the Assembly poll that he would give a prominent place for one of the ST councillors in the
Margao Municipal Council after the election.
Incidentally, there’s no woman ST community member in Vijai’s 11-member group of councillors, triggering speculation whether Vijai would move to get one of the ST councillor as the MMC vice-chairperson.
“Yes, I had made the promise to give a prominent place for a ST councillor in the civic body. Let us wait for the outcome of the Assembly election on March 11,” Vijai added.
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Possible KFD
outbreak causes
panic in parts
of Pernem
the goan I network
PERNEM
The possible outbreak of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) has caused alarm in many parts of Pernem taluka, after seven monkeys were found dead in Torsem, Mopa and Ibrampur.
Taking note of the concerns, Environment Minister Rajendra Arlekar on Thursday conducted an inspection of the forest areas where the monkeys were found dead along and he was accompanied by Dr Yogesh Naik, ZP member Ramesh Sawal, forest officer Villas Gawas, Ashok Ghogle and others.
Arlekar directed the forest officers to examine those workers who had cremated the dead monkeys and also instructed them to ascertain
the case of the monkey deaths, by submitting a report in the matter.
When contacted, Tuem Community Centre Health Officer Dr Uttam Dessai confirmed that no case of Kyasanur Forest Disease has
been reported in Pernem taluka so far.
KFD cases have caused alarm in many parts of Sattari taluka and the loss of human lives had prompted the State government to undertake a mass vaccination programme in the affected parts of the taluka.
The KFD was first detected in the Goa last year at Pale village in Bicholim taluka when it claimed four lives.
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Why different yardsticks followed by municipalities, panchayats?
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO
Why are Municipal bodies across the State issuing building permits or licence for a period of one year when their panchayat counterparts or the planning bodies grant building permissions having validity of three years? More so, when a residential house, leave alone a building cannot take shape in a year’s time and it being an open secret that licence holders, right from individual households to builders find themselves at the mercy of Municipal engineers and vested interests in the civic bodies at the time of annual licence renewals?
Former bureaucrat Elvis Gomes, who retired as Director of Municipal Administration, termed the Municipal practice as “illegal”, even as his successor, J Ashok Kumar, IAS says the issue is under study and examination following complaints received from many quarters.
What’s interesting to note is that former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, during whose tenure the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations 2010 was adopted, which provides for issuance of construction licence with a validity of three years, says his government had initiated steps to get the Goa Municipalities Act amended in tune with the Building Regulations, before the 2012 election brought about a change in
political guard.
Elvis Gomes told The Goan that the Municipal bodies are wrong in granting construction licenses for a period of one year, with renewals every year. “The municipalities are in no way different to the panchayats in the village or the planning bodies, such as the Town and Country Planning departments and the Planning and Development Authorities. The municipal bodies ought to have followed the 2010 Building Regulations in the matter of issuing construction licenses,” he said.
Elvis pointed out that he had prepared the ground work before quitting government service, with a proposal to the government to implement the 2010 Building Regulations till comprehensive amendments are brought to the Goa Municipalities Act. “The file must be still gathering dust in the DMA,” he added.
Incumbent Director of Municipal Administration, J Ashok Kumar, said he is seized of the issue since the matter has been brought to his notice. “The matter is under study. I am trying to find out whether the Municipal bodies are issuing licenses for a year when the planning bodies grant development permissions for three years,” he said, while saying that a solution will be worked out soon.
Sources, however, say that the new government will have to take a close call on the issue after March 11. Says former CM Digambar Kamat, “I had raised the issue in the Assembly several times. Even during my tenure, we were about to take a decision that the Building Regulations is applicable to the Municipal bodies as well. This is a dire need and the new government will have to decide after it assumes office next month.”
A resident Mohammed Ayub told The Goan that the Municipal bodies should not only be directed to stop the illegal practice, but to refund the renewal licence fees running into crores of rupees to the licence holders. “This is blatantly illegal. Innocent citizens are left at the mercy of unscrupulous municipal engineers and other vested interests in the civic body,” he said.
The issue came to the fore after Margao-based lawyer, Adv Rajiv Gomes lodged a complaint with the DMA’s office seeking directions to the MMC to issue construction/building permits and renewals to citizens for a period of three years.
“My inquiries revealed that the MMC is issuing Construction/Building Permits/Licenses to citizens for a period of one year and thereafter renews the same for further period of only 1 year on payment of further licence fees, which range between 20% to 50% of the initial licence fee. This is totally unacceptable when panchayats and the planning bodies grant licenses for three years,” Adv Gomes said.
