HUMILIATION AND FURY
>> The annual general body meeting of the Milk Producers Union held on Sunday was adjourned abruptly after there was nobody to chair the meeting.
>> All HoDs of Goa Dairy felt humiliated at the venue after they were told to 'leave' the annual general body meeting. It was later adjourned
>> Heated arguments took place between milk societies' chairmen and the BoD and also between disqualified directors during the meeting
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PONDA/PANAJI: Registrar of Co-operative Societies Sanjiv Gadkar on Sunday said that the government has decided to hold fresh elections within the next six months to elect a new Board of Directors for the Goa Sate Co-operative Milk Producers Union which owns the popular milk brand 'Goa Dairy'.
Gadkar, who had on Friday last disqualified the entire BoD of the apex dairy co-operative in a quasi-judicial order, indicated that the election process will be initiated and completed within the statutory six months.
There is no question of keeping the Dairy Union under the government-appointed administrator Damodar Morajkar, who is a senior bureaucrat, beyond the statutory six months.
Gadkar also said that proceedings against the ex-directors and officials of the Milk Producers Union to recover losses incurred due to irregular purchases of machinery and packaging material by former directors and officials of the Dairy will begin in a couple of days.
He said the department could exercise the option of filing a first information report (FIR) if the recovery proceedings face any roadblocks. Gadkar's quasi-judicial order names four ex-directors as responsible for the purchases.
Meanwhile, the annual general body meeting of the Milk Producers Union held on Sunday was adjourned abruptly after there was nobody to chair the meeting.
All HoD's of Goa Dairy felt humiliated at the venue after they were told to 'leave' the annual general body meeting. It was later adjourned as there was nobody to chair the meeting.
"Why did the Managing Director ask us to attend the meeting and then tell us to go out? This is an insult," one of the officers said.
No sooner the meeting started in the morning, the chairmen of milk societies who attended demanded that the meeting be adjourned as there was nobody to chair it.
"Based on our demand the meeting was adjourned. How can the meeting be held when there is no chairman or administrator. So we demanded that it be adjourned," said Dattaprasad Sanvordekar, a chairman of a member milk society.
He thanked the government and the Registrar of Co-operative Societies for taking action against the directors and the managing director.
Heated arguments took place between milk societies' chairmen and the BoD and also between disqualified directors during the meeting.
Milk societies' chairmen also targeted the MD Sawant and demanded immediate action and enquiry against him.
It may be recalled that on Friday the State government had disqualified seven directors of the Goa Sate Co-operative Milk Producers Union (Goa Dairy) and also placed the Managing Director Dr. Navaso Sawant under suspension.
Since seven directors in the BoD have been disqualified and the chairman Rajesh Fal Desai ceases to remain in the post, he could not chair the AGM. Also, the administrator appointed by the RCS, a top Goa civil services bureaucrat, has not yet taken charge. The meeting was finally adjourned.
Goa Dairy MD Dr Navsu Sawant could remain on the post as administrator had not yet taken charge and he had not received the notice of suspension.
In an order passed on Friday, Registrar of Co-operative Societies Sanjiv Gadkar said the directors of the Society, Dhananjay Dessai, Vithoba Dessai, Baburao Dessai, Naresh Malik, Gurudas Parab, Mahadav Sahakari and Rajendra Sawant, were disqualified to continue on the Board of Directors.
Gadkar in his order quoted section 59(11) of the Goa Co-operative Act and two inspection reports which found discrepancies, illegalities and irregularities in the working of the directors which was detrimental to the Society to dissolve the BoD.
The order also held four former directors namely, Shrikant Naik, Vijaykant Gaonkar, Shivanand Pednekar and Ulhas Sinari, responsible for the loss caused by the decision to purchase fill packed machine, ice-cream plant, recruitment of staff and purchase of raw material which it said will be determined and quantified by filing separate misappropriation proceedings under section 82 of the Act.
Gadkar also held the managing director Dr N C Sawant “wholly responsible” for the irregularities and mismanagement and placed him under suspension in the order.
A senior bureaucrat, Damodar Moraskar, was appointed as administrator at the Goa Dairy.
The HoD's of Goa Dairy informed The Goan that on Saturday evening they were told by MD Sawant to attend the meeting. "But during meeting some of the disqualified directors and MD himself humiliated us by telling to go out of the hall." One of the HoD who came out told The Goan on condition of anonymity.
MD Sawant told media persons that the AGM was adjourned on demand of Milk society chairmen. "As it is adjourn the agenda for next meeting will remain same." He said. Pankaj Marathe, assistant registrar of Co-operative Societies told media persons that the meeting has been adjourned and will have to convene within thirty days.
No entry for media persons
PONDA: The BoDs and Managing Director Dr Navaso Sawant restrained media persons from covering the annual general body meeting.
Security guards manning the main gate of the plant did not allow media persons to enter the campus. When our correspondent managed enter the hall where the meeting was taking place, around seven staff at the door of hall argued with him and tried to snatch his cell phone. Later, he was also told to leave the hall.
When the MD Sawant was asked about this development, he said that journalist can not attend their AGM as bylaws do not permit it.
