MAPUSA
Taking cognisance of the complaint against irregularities in the organisation of Mapusa Carnival, the Department of Tourism has written to the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) Chief Officer Amit Shirvoikar seeking his comments/observations over the allegations made by the five councillors on the formation of the carnival committee.In a letter to the Director of Tourism, the five councillors from the opposition had alleged that the vice chairperson of the MMC and a few individuals were treating the carnival as a private event and functioning in an arbitrary and biased manner and requested the Tourism Director to take action against them.
Sources in the Tourism Department informed The Goan that a notice has been sent to the Chief Officer asking for his comments on “serious” allegations made by the councillors on the way the carnival sub-committees were reconstituted.
“We have requested the Chief Officer to offer his comments/observations in the entire carnival committee formation in Mapusa. We will take a decision on the matter very soon,” a senior official said.
The five councillors “ Sudhir Kandolkar, Shashank Narvekar, Kamal D’Souza, Anand Bhaidkar and Anvi Korgoankar “ in a letter to the Director of Tourism said that the vice chairperson and a few individuals were treating the carnival as a private event thereby employing their own vendors without inviting short tenders or quotations and granting them the same without following the due process.
They said that since the Department of Tourism entrusts Rs 20 lakh to the Mapusa Municipal Council as a custodian of public services, any biased, illegal, corrupt and malicious practices ought not to be permitted.
The councillors requested the Tourism Department to step in and monitor the expenditure and conduct of those who are seeking to control and misappropriate funds and trust of the people of Mapusa.
