CANACONA
More than six months since they took control of the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC), the ruling panel led by Chairperson Simon Rebello finally got to meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday, putting forth its grievances regarding the day-to-day functioning of the council.
The CMC ruling panel’s meeting with the chief minister assumes significance as the council had been complaining about non-cooperation from the government, the Canacona BJP MLA and Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes, despite pledging allegiance to the BJP ever since they took control of the CMC on April 1.
The CMC ruling group had recently withdrawn this allegiance to the BJP and had declared themselves to be an independent council.
Incidentally, CMC Chairperson Simon Rebello had recently shared the dais alongside Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Fernandes and former minister Ramesh Tawadkar at the ‘Sarkar Tumchya Daari’ programme in Canacona.
Rebello had expressed his desire to have an appointment with the chief minister during CM's meet with the elected representatives.
“On Tuesday, the CM was very cordial and listened to our grievances during the 45-minute meeting with the ruling group of seven councillors,” said Rebello.
“We informed the CM that work at the CMC had been hampered in the absence of a full-time chief officer, with the present chief officer present in the council only twice a week and this time is spent only to sign files.”
"During the other days of the week, the chief officer, who is also the deputy collector, gets no time to execute any concrete works undertaken by the council and is busy with other taluka-level works,” said Rebello.
The CMC chairperson said he also pleaded for government approval and financial orders in all pending files proposed by the council.
“The chief minister was very considerate in responding positively to us. He has assured to convene a joint meeting with chairpersons of all municipal councils along with the chief officers in the State, the director of municipal administration.”
“The chief minister said all chairpersons will get a proper platform to put forth their issues which need government attention and the government will initiate a common approach to resolve the issues,” he added.
Others present during the meeting with the chief minister included Deputy Chairperson Amita Pagui, Councillors Gandesh Madganvkar, Narcisco Fernandes, Laxuman Pagui, Sara Naik Desai, Ramakant Naikgaunkar and a local BJP karyakarta.
