The Goan: There were high expectations among the people of Mapusa after you took over as chairperson soon after the civic elections but a little over a year down the line, many are disillusioned with the functioning of the Mapusa Municipal Council and the delivery of service.
Shubhangi Vaigankar: Frankly, I took over the reins when we were just coming out from the rigours of the second wave of Covid, but the council has managed to put a lot of things in order. There were a lot of pending works which I have managed to attend to. From sorting out the door-to-door garbage issue to getting development funds, the council under me has done its best. The civic work can be accomplished only if the staff and the council can work in tandem. Recently, I took several steps to put a sloth administration in order and make the staff accountable. Some of the employees have not taken it kindly but that is ok with me. My focus is to make the administration people-friendly and get the work done on time.
TG: What are the three biggest achievements in your tenure?
SV: Sorting out the door-to-door garbage collection issue tops the achievement score. We managed to outsource the door-to-door waste collection in wards 1 to 10 and in the remaining 10 wards, the municipality workers are carrying out the job. So far, the arrangement is working fine. We were facing a peculiar problem with several of our garbage collecting vehicles broken down and lying in the garages. I have managed to buy a vehicle through the MP fund and another one through the municipality funds to resolve the crisis. The second big achievement was getting government grants to the tune of Rs 5 crore, another Rs 1 crore in lieu of the diamond jubilee celebration of Goa’s Liberation and Rs 2 crore from the 15th Finance Commission. All the works have been tendered and will be taken up very soon.
Renovation of the municipal library will also be taken up very soon at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore.
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza has been of immense help to get the funds.
TG: There are talks that you have been directed to resign from the post to make way for a new chairperson to take over. Was there any unwritten understanding that you would have to step down after a year?
SV: There was no such understanding, but there was a mention that performance would be evaluated. Nothing beyond that.
TG: Did the party ask you to resign?
SV: I meet our party office-bearers very often. The party has not given me any such instruction. There is no such direction from the party.
TG: Has the MLA asked you to step down?
SV: The MLA had called up and informed me that the Chief Minister will call and let me know what action will be taken. Nothing like that has happened so far and I have not received any such call. But if the CM directs me to step down, then I will resign.
Common cadre in civic bodies to benefit common man: Vaigankar
TG: Do you think a common cadre will help in the delivery of service in municipalities?
SV: Definitely. If a common cadre is introduced among the staff of the civic bodies, the common man will benefit a lot. The government gives so many facilities to the employees, but they do not reciprocate in terms of work. Many of the staff are very slack in their work. The common man has to suffer because work does not happen properly and on time. I have expressed my views on the topic to Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane and he too is in favour of the common cadre in civic bodies.
