Vice-chief refuses to take charge; Debate over AAO authorised to clear mail
MARGAO
Perhaps for the first time in recent times, the Margao Municipal Council went without the Chairperson and a Chief Officer, as a result of which members of the public had to return home disappointed.
In fact, the chambers of the Chairperson Damu Shirodkar and that of the Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar remained shut literally on Thursday. Newly-elected Margao Municipal vice-chairperson Babita Naik was holed up in her chamber, but preferred not to sit in the Chamber of the chairperson on the plea she has not been officially handed over the charge of the chairperson.
On the other hand, Chief Officer Sankhwalkar authorised the Accounts and Administrative Officer Abhay Rane to clear the mail received by the civic body and mark the same to the different sections for action.
The authority entrusted to the AAO Rane has become a subject matter of debate in the corridors of the civic body, whether the Chief Officer can authorise an AAO to sign the mail in his absence.
As per a Link Officer mechanism in place, the Chief Officer of the Mormugao Municipal Council assumes the charge of the CO of the Margao Municipal Council when the latter proceeds on leave. In the instant case, the Chief Officer has not proceeded on leave, but has headed to Delhi to attend a Supreme Court matter pertaining to the three BS4 compliant vehicles. “For all practical purposes, the Chief Officer is on official duty though he has gone to Delhi for the Court hearing. Hence, the contention that the Link Officer should take charge of the MMC CO does not arise,” sources said, adding that the Chief Officer has authorised the AAO Rane to sign on the routine mail to ensure the day-to-day administration does not come to a halt.
As far as the handing over of the charge of the Municipal Chairperson to the vice-chairperson is concerned, the Vice-Chairperson Babita has not received any written instructions neither from Chairperson Damu Shirodkar nor from the office of the Director, Urban Development to take charge of office of the chairperson.
While Babita was present in the Municipal building throughout Thursday, attending to day-to-day issues, she is believed to have told councillors and officials that she would not sit in the Chairperson’s Chamber in the absence of written charge or instructions given to her.
Chairperson Damu, sources said, has gone to South India on a pilgrimage along with a couple of councillors and close aides and is likely to return on Saturday. Chief Officer Sankhwalkar too is likely to return back from Delhi on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the issue over the constitution of the Shiv Jayanti committee and the organisation of the festival on February 19 is to be decided by the civic body.
