MARGAO
With the Margao Municipal Council in the news for the wrong reasons, over missing files from the technical section, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat called for accountability and transparency in the functioning of the civic body on priority.
In fact, the Margao MLA directed the Chief Officer to put a transparency system in place wherein files are not kept pending for more than eight days in any of the Municipal sections.
Taking the platform of the commissioning of the bio-methanation plant on Wednesday, the Margao MLA told Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes to compile a report on the missing files and those traced from the office of an engineer and forward the same to the Director, Urban Development for action.
Kamat gave the direction after councillor Damu Shirodkar drew his attention to the fact that files which had gone missing last week have all been traced from the cabin of an engineer. “This is a serious matter. The Chief Officer should immediately report the matter to the office of the Director, Urban Development. When I was the Chief Minister, I had got officials to break open the drawers of unscrupulous officials who had kept files inside and had gone on leave. We cannot put the people and the common man to hardships,” he warned.
Calling upon the Chief Officer and the Municipal engineer to expedite work and provide time bound services to the common man, Kamat said no file should be kept pending for months together.
“Make the technical section a vibrant section. No file should be kept pending more than eight days. Initiate action against the erring engineers, otherwise we will have to intervene,” he warned.
MLA seeks to know why no takers for multi-level parking project in Margao
MARGAO: With no takers for Margao Municipal Council’s ambitious multi-level parking project, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat on Wednesday sought to know why contractors are not willing to take up the work on the prestigious project.
When MMC Chairperson Lyndon Pereira replied saying that the civic body has extended the time-frame by 15 days for bidders to submit the bids, Kamat shot back saying that mere extension of time will not get the contractors to execute the project. “It appears that a wrong message has gone from the MMC to the contractors. Otherwise, why are the contractors dragging their feet to take up the multi-crore project,” Kamat questioned and told the civic body to take steps to take the project to its logical conclusion.
The Fatorda MLA said the sudden rise in the rates of construction material such as cement and steel must have dissuaded the contractors not to bid for the parking project.
