MARGAO
Amidst uproar, the ruling Margao Municipal Council bulldozed with the decision of the civic body to lease out two shops in the Gandhi market via an open auction.
The opposition cried foul over the Council’s action to go for division of votes, disclosing plans to move the Lokayutka and the Vigilance for cancellation of the auction and demand re-auction.
Almost all the ruling councillors owing allegiance to Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai supported the auction of the two shops. The BJP-backed councillors, besides councillors Mahesh Amonkar and Ganashyam Shirodkar said the Council decision will only deny revenue to the civic body. They said this is a fit case to approach either the Vigilance or the Lokayukta for action and to scrap the same.
At a special meeting convened by Chairperson Lyndon Pereira on a requisition made by the City Fathers, the opposition called for cancellation of the auction smelling match fixing.
Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes, however, presented a detailed note of the shop auctioning episode, asserting that the process of open auction was duly followed by complying with the rules in force.
While the opposition councillors claimed that the valuation of the shops for the purpose of rent had been carried out in a fishy manner, the Chief Officer said the valuation was conducted by the PWD and not by the Margao Municipal Council as per the normal practice.
He pointed out that rent certificate is fixed by PWD as per prevailing rates. “The MMC had published an open tender. Objections were heard, date of auction was fixed. Open auction was held, highest bidder is given the shops. One shop at Rs 5,200 per month and the other at Rs 5,700 per month,” Agnelo said.
The opposition, however, wondered how come the shops have been auctioned for a pittance when the same shops had fetched huge revenue for the Council in 2007.
Councillor Ganashyam Shirodkar further demanded to know whether the Council had obtained government’s approval for transferring the municipal property.
Heated exchanges ensued between ruling councillors Damu Shirodkar, Raju Naik and Shagun Naik and opposition councillor Camilo Barretto over a remark made by the later.
The meeting again witnessed an uproar after the opposition claimed that no municipal staff was recording the minutes of the meeting.
As the Chief Officer insisted that the auction was conducted as per the procedure and the opposition was on its feet to demand its scrapping, Chairperson Lyndon put the matter for voting, which was carried by majority votes.
