MARGAO
Can a part-time Chief Officer do justice to an A-class municipal body such as the Margao Municipal Council by devoting just two days of a week to it? This question is doing the rounds of the corridors of the Margao civic body as Mormugao Chief Officer Deepali Naik assumed additional charge on Monday noon.
Deepali is not new to Margao, having presided over the MMC administration for around 11 months during the financial year 2013-14, but her latest posting at the civic body with an additional charge has indeed thrown up questions given the manpower constrains faced by the municipality in recent times.
In fact, the second-in-command in the civic body in respect of civic administration, the Accounts and Administrative Officer Elekar is also holding additional charge of Mormugao Municipal Council, again raising questions whether the municipal administration can be run effectively without a full time senior officer.
“Yes, I have taken additional charge of Margao municipality from today. But since I am already having charge of the A-class Mormugao Municipal Council, I will devote two days in Margao and three days in Mormugao in a week,” Deepali told The Goan.
Asked whether she should would be able to do justice to her job in the Margao municipality by devoting two days, Deepali said she would try to give her best though it looks like an impossible task. “Working half a day at Mormugao and Margao will not help the two civic bodies. That’s why I have decided to devote two days in Margao and three days in Mormugao. Both the municipalities have vast jurisdiction and I would do my best to manage the two civic bodies,” she said, adding that she would manage herself and be fair and just to both the councils.
Asked to outline her priorities, Deepali, said that she would accord her priority to door-to-door waste collection and effect revenue recoveries on a war-footing.
She has sought cooperation from the people to achieve the objectives and also urged the young and energetic councillors to resolve many a burning issue facing the city.
