MARGAO
The government’s circular to the Margao Municipal Council authorizing the civic body to spend an amount of Rs eight lakh on stranded people, including migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, has come to haunt the outgoing city fathers.
A note put up by outgoing Chairperson Pooja Naik has stated that the city fathers had utilized an amount of Rs 32,000 each to procure dry ration for the purpose of cooking meals and distributing the same in their respective wards.
It is an open secret that most of the outgoing councillors had distributed food items to the people in their respective wards, even though there were allegations that they had handed over the food items to their close supporters.
What has now stirred controversy was the note put up by the outgoing MMC Chairperson that the councillors had got the food cooked and distributed free to the people stranded by the lockdown.
The Shadow Council for Margao has sought to know who among the outgoing council members had cooked and served food to stranded and homeless people during the lockdown period. “We are wondering as to who could have been the chef of this ‘cooked story’, which has cost the public exchequer,” SCM Convenor Savio Coutinho remarked.
He said while the government officially sanctioned funds for the supply of food to the stranded and homeless people, the authorities manning the shelter at the Indoor stadium complex at Navelim were seeking cooperation from NGOs and other social organizations to supply food to the stranded people there.
“No doubt some councillors were seen distributing groceries to their voters. However, in doing so, they were very clearly stating that the groceries have been supplied by the respective MLAs,” he said, demanding to know the whereabouts of the money from the MMC treasury.
He added: “In May, when we learnt about this scandal getting cooked, we had filed an RTI application seeking information about the same. However, on 6th June, 2020, we were informed that the file concerned was not traceable. Interestingly, this file not only resurfaced, but the amount of Rs eight lakh also got cleared on 9th October, 2020. We
have now applied afresh for details about this dubious scheme and necessary course of action shall be decided thereafter.”
