MARGAO
Margao Municipal Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar is the cynosure of all eyes with just three days to go for the Purumentachem feast fair at the Old Market, with residents of Madel as well as the petitioner bracing up to drag the civic body to the High Court if the court directives, regulating the fair is not implemented in both letter and spirit.
Even municipal officials in private say the Chief Officer should stay put in the city during the conduct of the feast fair, especially at the fag end of the seven-day fair, given that the High Court’s directions were violated with impunity by the hawkers, illegally extending the fair for four additional days.
In fact, during the Old Market feast fair held on December 8 last, Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar had proceeded on leave at the fag end of the fair, as a result of which there was no officer around to stop the fair from continuing beyond the seven days as per the High Court’s directions.
As per the system in place, whenever the Margao Municipal Chief Officer proceeds on leave, the Chief Officer of Mormugao assumes charge of Margao given his status as a link officer.
“We know that link officers hardly report to the civic body and do not take any major decisions. When the MMC Chief Officer proceeded on leave during the Old Market feast fair in the month of December, there was neither the link officer to stop the fair beyond seven days, nor any of the MMC officials mustered the courage to say no to the politicians to turn a blind eye to the illegalities at the fair,” remarked a civic official.
Against this backdrop, MMC officials in private said Chief Officer Sankhwalkar should stay put in the city during the seven-day fair, beginning from May 19 to ensure that the High Court directives are implemented in both letter and spirit.
“Unlike December 2023, the Chief Officer should not proceed on leave, but should stay put in the city to give confidence to his subordinate officers and crack a whip against the hawkers, who illegally conduct the business beyond the seven-day period,” maintained another civic official.
With the petitioner Raison Almeida of the Green Goa Foundation and the residents of Madel threatening to file a contempt petition if the High Court directions are not complied with in letter and spirit, subordinate municipal officials hope the Chief Officer takes steps to ensure that there is no violation of the terms and conditions regulating the fair.
