the goan I network
MAPUSA
With the Chief Officer hardly available to public, cases adjourned indefinitely and the administration all at sea, work in Mapusa Municipal Council has virtually come to a standstill.
The citizens are feeling the heat due to absence of Chief Officer, Clen Madeira who is rarely present at the Mapusa municipality due to additional charges as SDM2 of Bardez and OSD to the urban development minister.
This is causing inconvenience to locals as hearings on crucial civic matters are postponed and residents are forced to return without an audience with the Chief Officer (CO).
According to senior citizen and secretary of Mapusa People’s Union, J T Shetye the CO has failed to deliver orders on several illegal constructions, which have been pending before him for the last four years.
“The CO is also the first appellate authority in RTI matters. Goa State Information Commission has passed strictures against him for not disposing off RTI cases
within mandatory period,” Shetye said.
Sources said the CO visits the municipality office in the morning but has to leave for his other duties.
Thrice a week in the evenings “ Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday “ the CO has to attend to hearings in the Mapusa government complex in the capacity of deputy collector II.
“Initially, he was brought in as a full-time chief officer but with the additional charge of deputy collector and OSD he can’t do justice to his job in the municipality. A city like Mapusa needs a full-time chief officer. Government should give it serious thought,” said Adv Mahesh Rane.
Many councilors admit that the CO’s absence has come in the way of smooth functioning of the administration.
“Unavailability of the CO forces members of the public to approach the chairperson and the councilors. There’s absolutely no supervision over the administrative staff,” a councilor said, on condition of anonymity.
But the common man’s tale of woes does not end there.
The municipality’s Accounts Taxation Officer, Shivram Vaze who retired last month is yet to be replaced while the Administrative Officer (AO), Bhanudas Naik was suddenly transferred to Vasco two months ago.
The AO, however, has additional charge and attends office twice a week in the Mapusa municipality.
The new Municipal Engineer, Surendra Gaonkar who is a resident of Margao has to face the long morning traffic snarls and therefore reaches late to office.
Chairperson, Ryan Braganza admitted that the chief officer had additional departments to handle and therefore couldn’t give time to civic
matters.
“I have spoken to the concerned minister to relieve the chief officer of his additional charge so that he can focus on the municipality work,” Braganza said.
