MARGAO
The Congress returned back at the helm of Cuncolim Municipal Council on Thursday with the election of party-backed Prof Laximan Naik as the new chairperson of the 14-member civic body. Anthony Vaz was elected the deputy.
BJP’s move to field Vishal Desai and Rupa Gaonkar for the post of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson respectively failed to garner the required votes as voting took place on expected lines 9-5 votes.
While speculations were rife on attempts being made to break the nine-member Congress group, the Congress group came to the Council just before the election from an unknown place, where they were huddled together to prevent poaching bid by the ruling dispensation.
After Prof Laximan Naik was declared elected the Chairperson and Anthony Vaz the deputy by Presiding Officer John Fernandes, Congress leader Yuri Alemao rushed to the Cuncolim Municipal Council with supporters to greet the group.
Soon after his election as Chairpersoin, five-time councillor, Prof Laximan thanked the nine-member group of councillors, besides Joaquim and Yuri Alemao for electing him as the CMC Chairperson. He said he would seek the cooperation of the nine-member Congress group as well as the opposition group to usher development of the town and to deliver the goods.
“People don’t talk good about the Council. I want to clear the mess in the Cuncolim Municipal Council. Not just cleanliness, I want to stop corruption. People are complaining that they have to make several trips even for a birth and income certificate. We will try to streamline the administration,” he said.
Sending a message loud and clear to the Municipal staff, Prof Laximan said all those who are not working will now come under his scanner. “My primary objective will be to clear the municipality from corruption. We will ensure timely services to the people,” he said, adding ‘I want to end corruption in time management. I expect the officials and staff to report for duties at 9.30 am’.
Touching on the industrial pollution, he said the people of Cuncolim are against pollution and the Council will take steps to ensure there’s no industrial pollution in the town.
Saying that the new Council will take up the renovation and beautification of the freedom fighters memorial lying in shambles, the new chairperson said, “If the government does not provide the funds, our leader will fund the renovation project.”
BJP wanted to murder democracy by trying to poach our councillors: Yuri
MARGAO: Congress leader Yuri Alemao has claimed that the ruling BJP wanted to murder democracy by giving offers of jobs and money to wean away the Congress-backed Cuncolim Municipal councillors.
Assuring the people of Cuncolim that the new Council will provide a transparent and corruption free administration, Yuri said the first decision the new Council will take is to restore the Cuncolim freedom fighters memorial, which has been craving for attention for a long time. “Today is a historic day for the people of Cuncolim, who have ushered in a change in the Council. I am sad that though we have won the majority, the BJP government tried to wean away our councillors by offering jobs and money, but we all stood united to foil all attempts to murder democracy,” he said, adding that he would fund the restoration of the Cuncolim freedom fighters memorial if no funds are forthcoming from the government.
