MAPUSA
The absence of a full-time chief officer in Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has impacted hearings in quasi-judicial matters and severely affected the functioning of the civic body.
Apart from causing inconvenience to the common man, the council is also handicapped as it cannot take major decisions concerning the town without the presence of a full-time chief officer.
For nearly a month, the Mapusa civic body has been functioning without the service of a full-time administrative head as Chief Officer Amitesh Shirvoikar had proceeded on leave.
Shirvoikar who first went on leave for 15 days last month, joined duty on May 30 but suddenly went on leave again from June 3 owards for unspecified period disrupting the schedule during the crucial monsoon season.
While Sankhali Municipal Council Chief Officer Kabir Shirgaonkar was holding the additional charge of Mapusa for a while, on Wednesday the charge suddenly changed hands and it has now been handed over to Deputy Collector Gurudas Desai.
Incidentally, Desai is yet to take the charge as he was pre-occupied with the ongoing G20 meetings in the State.
Hearings on crucial civic matters are postponed while residents are forced to turn back, unable to have an audience with the chief officer (CO).
According to former chairperson of Mapusa, Sandeep Falari, absence of a full-time chief officer is bound to affect work in the council especially concerning policy decisions.
He further said that the grip on the administration also gets affected in the absence of the administrative head of the civic body.
“The presence of the chief officer keeps the employees in the administration on their toes. So, if he is not there, they become slack and the discipline gets affected,” Falari said.
He said an officer with additional charge will only clear routine files while all major decisions concerning the municipality will be held back.
Many councillors also admitted that the CO’s absence has come in the way of smooth functioning of the civic body.
“Mapusa is always given step motherly treatment. For every little work we need the signature of the chief officer. If he is not there then how is the municipality going to run,” said Shashank Narvekar, councillor of Ward 5.
MMC Chairperson Priya Mishal admitted that works were getting blocked and it indirectly reflected on the functioning of the civic body.
