Margao chief officer, Siddivinayak Naik, a delegation of Fatorda Congress members and activists came face-to-face on Monday on the issue of regularisation of mobile towers in the city, with the chief officer maintaining that he is bound by the Council resolutions, while the delegation insisted that he is only bound to go by the law.
Margao police were called at the civic body as the chief officer insisted that not more than five persons can come inside the chamber as part of the delegation.
During discussions, the chief officer read out the resolution adopted by the civic body at the February meeting, wherein the Council had resolved to regularise the mobile towers after imposing fines and fees on the cellular company.
“Since the Council has adopted the resolution to regularise the erection of mobile towers, the resolutions are binding on me,” he said.
This statement triggered protests from the delegation, with Congress spokesperson, Avinash Tavares, demanding to know whether the chief officer will agree to any criminal act of the Council citing a resolution.
While the delegation sought to corner the chief officer on grounds that no inspection of the mobile towers was conducted by his office before regularisation of the towers, the chief officer relied on the circular issued by the PWD, saying that he has to go by the government circular as well.
A police officer has to repeatedly intervene between the delegation and the chief officer as the former accused the latter for misleading them with unwanted replies, while the chief officer kept alleging that the delegation is "heckling" him for no rhyme or reason.
'Slip' in your identity before visiting chief officer!
Hazard a guess why Margao Municipal chief officer, Siddivinayak Naik, has introduced visitor slips for citizens intending to meet him during official hours?
Well, pose the question to the chief officer, and he defends the decision on the slips for visitors, a practice unheard of in the Margao Municipal Council, by pointing out that one cannot take chances with Goa under the target of miscreants.
“I do not want anyone to create any problem for the Margao Municipality. Goa is always under the radar. Security is always on high alert. We cannot take any chances,” he said, while justifying his decision to introduce the visitor slips for citizens approaching his office.
Incidentally, the Margao Municipality had witnessed an uproar a month ago when a citizen had alleged that the chief officer had insisted on his identity saying he could even turn up a terrorist.
