the goan I network
VASCO
The Vasco Shigmotsav festivities on March 18 will now be headed by Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chief Officer Gaurish Shankhwalkar.
According to sources, the Chief Officer had announced at a recent meeting that the recently-elected Murgao Nagrik Shigmotsav Samiti (MNSS ) presidents, former MMC Chairpersons Deepak Naik and Shekar Khadapkar, could not head the Shigmotsav committee due to the ongoing Code of Conduct for the ZP elections in the State.
When contacted, Shankhwalkar admitted that the MNSS, a body that looks into the functioning of the Vasco Shigmotsav celebrations, had elected two presidents but none of them could lead the Shigmotsav celebrations, since they are elected members or directors of government organisations.
He pointed out that while Deepak Naik is an elected member, Shekhar Khadapkar is a director of the Goa Housing Board Committee. “As such, they cannot be part of a public festival due to the code and I automatically will have to head panel.”
“The Goa SEC has recently issued a letter to the tourism department that in view of ZP elections on March 22 and the model code of conduct being in force, the commission advised elected representatives not to head Shigmotsav festival committees.”
“In addition, elected representatives and ministers may not be associated in flagging off the Shigmo parades. It was also directed that floats in the parade should not highlight political achievements of the government,” said Shankhwalkar.
