the goan I network
MARGAO
Is there any scope left for an amicable settlement to the Sonsodo imbroglio between Fomento and the Margao Municipal Council as per the South district court’s directions?
More than a week has elapsed since the court had called for negotiations between the two parties, with a direction to the government to engage the officers of Fomento for discussions, even as eight days remain for the final hearing of the matter on January 21.
In fact, it’s exactly a week since MMC Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar had dispatched a letter to the Director of Municipal Administration, Dr Tariq Thomas, with a plea to request the government to call for a meeting with Fomento, but no such meeting is believed to have taken place till date.
When The Goan called up Minister for Waste Management, Michael Lobo, to know whether any such meeting has taken place, he replied in the negative.
Lobo, however, said he would be visiting Margao one of these days wherein he would take the opportunity to explore the possibility of holding discussions on Sonsodo.
A meeting between the government and Fomento was anticipated in many quarters after the South Goa district judge, B P Deshpande, had stated at the last date of hearing in the arbitration application filed by Fomento it is expected that the government authorities would call the officers of Fomento for negotiations within a period of one week so that proposals could be exchanged as the matter is pending before the court since August 2019.
That the court had favoured an amicable settlement of the dispute was evident from the fact that judge Deshpande stated that the court has also been trying for an amicable settlement since the time of filing of this present application, before saying that till date, however, no talks were held.
At the last date of hearing, Judge Deshpande had stated that as the present matter is an application under Section 9 of Arbitration and Conciliation Act, the same cannot be kept pending for a long period.
“Considering the submissions made today, the matter is now kept for final hearing after a period of 15 days and in between the parties shall try to negotiate the matter for an amicable settlement”, the Judge said, while making clear that no further time will be granted to the respondent (MMC) in the matter.
When The Goan called up MMC Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar, he feigned ignorance over any such meeting, adding that he has no idea whether any such meeting has taken place between Fomento and the government during the last one week.
