MARGAO
It’s official. Margao Municipal Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar will be proceeding on leave from May 27, the day when his presence will be required in the civic body to stop rampant violations of the High Court order on the regulation of the seven-day Purumentachem feast fair at the Old Market.
In a sheer coincidence, the Margao Municipal Chief Officer had proceeded on leave during the seven-day December 8 feast fair at the Old Market, throwing up questions over the Chief Officer’s decision to proceed on leave when a senior civic officer is required on the ground to crack a whip against the illegalities at the feast fair.
As per the High Court’s Order on the conduct of the feast fair at the Old Market, the fair cannot be extended beyond the seven-day period come what may. Incidentally, when the seven-day fair period was ending during the December 8 last fair, the Chief Officer had gone on leave.
If sources are to be believed, there was no senior officer around to crack a whip and stop the fair as per the High Court order. Instead, the fair was illegally extended for as many as 3-4 days, throwing up allegations of loot and plunder during the extended period.
To curb the illegalities at the fair, many had hoped the MMC Chief Officer would stay put in the civic body to ensure that the High Court order was implemented by the civic body in both letter and spirit.
To the surprise of many in the corridors of the civic body and outside, the Chief Officer has applied for leave from May 27, raising fears that the absence of any official in the Civic body will give a free hand for miscreants to plunder revenue.
When 'The Goan' suggested that his absence would affect the implementation of the High Court order on regulating the fair, Sankhwalkar shot back saying the civic body would issue a letter to the power department to disconnect supply to the fair after the seven-day period.
He, however, had no answer when his attention was drawn to the fact that the power supply may have no bearing on the fair with the hawkers having battery-charged emergency lights.
“I am proceeding on leave from May 27 on personal grounds. In my absence, there will be a link officer and other officials. I will write to the power department to disconnect the power supply to the stalls after the seven-day fair,” the CO said.
