Margao city fathers demanding action over missing files.
MARGAO
Charges of corruption, missing files et al often heard in the lanes and by-lanes of the commercial capital found its echo in the Margao Municipal building on Thursday.
In an unprecedented uproar and bedlam ever witnessed in the recent history of the Margao Municipal Council, Chairperson Lyndon Pereira, his deputy Deepali Sawal and the whole lot of Councillors along with Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes took on the Municipal technical section headed by Municipal Engineer Diniz D’Mello, accusing the section for the missing files, delayed projects and corrupt practices.
Perhaps for the first time in the MMC history, almost all the City Fathers present at the Council meeting were on their feet demanding the technical section produce the file pertaining to Sonsodo shed. Not satisfied with the replies given by the Municipal engineer Diniz D’Mello and Junior engineer Vikas Prabhudesai, the Chairperson and the Councilors left the meeting hall to go downstairs to the chamber of engineer Vikas. They conducted a search of the drawers of Vikas Prabhudesai’s cabin, only to find a Measurement Book (MB) as the engineer insisted that he has already handed the file to the dealing clerk.
After the Councillors returned back to the meeting hall, the Council unanimously resolved to post engineer Vikas for garbage related work and to designate the engineer to file affidavits in the High Court in matters relating to Sonsodo.
In fact, the technical section became the target of the Chairperson, Chief Officer and the City Fathers at the Thursday’s meeting after Councillor Sagun Naik drew the attention of the Council to the recent note put up by the Chief Officer on the state of affairs in the Civic body. The Chief Officer said he was compelled to put up the note to draw the Council’s attention in order to fix the responsibility and to get the Technical section explain the missing files and the delay in implementing projects. Saying that the Municipality is being pulled up by the government on Sonsodo just because of the inefficiency of the technical section, Agnelo said the technical section should answer the fate of the missing file on the Sonsodo road costing Rs 40 lakh.
Put on the defensive, Municipal engineer Diniz made a counter charge, saying the Sonsodo road file, which had reached the stage of issuing work order, was marked to the Chief officer, but has since then not come back to his chamber till date.
When the Councilors were told that the Sonsodo shed file is lying with engineer Vikas, the Councilors were on the feet to demand why files from other wards are being marked to Vikas when there are so many engineers in the Civic body. It was at this juncture, the Councilors demanded that the office direct Vikas to hand over all the files, including the Sonsodo shed file to the technical section.
Chairperson Lyndon Periera even suggested lodging a police complaint over missing files after it became apparent that another file pertaining to grass cutting machine has gone missing.
Chairperson Lyndon Pereira and the councillors in engineer’s cabin in search of a missing file. Santosh Mirajkar
No files marked for my
perusal: Chairperson
MARGAO: MMC Chairperson Lyndon Pereira has said not a single file is being marked by the Municipal administration for his perusal, adding that he has recently dashed off a letter to the Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes why files are not being sent to him.
He replied in the affirmative when questioned a Chairperson has any power under the Goa Municipalities Act to see the files, saying the Act empowers the Chairperson to call for files from the office for his perusal. “The Chief Officer has not replied to my letter on why files are not sent to the Chairperson”, he added.
He said the Council will explore the possibility of implementing file tracking system to monitor the files.
OTHER ISSUES DISCUSSED
AT THE MMC MEETING
>> Municipal officials were candid in conceding that thousands of business establishments are operating in the commercial council sans trade licenses
>> Similarly, the Margao council has decided to bring thousands of illegal households in the tax net without bestowing any legal status.
>> The Traffic department’s recent proposal to introduce pay parking on roads in the commercial capital found no takers from the city fathers
>> The Council decided to renew lease deeds with petrol pump owners with 10 per cent hike
>> Councilors demanded appointment of officials to implement the resolutions passed by the Council, charging that the resolutions remain only on paper
>> Out of the 5200 resolutions adopted by the Civic body, hardly 1000 may have been adopted till date, charged Councilor Damu Shirodkar
>> The Council unanimously adopted a resolution tabled by Councilor Raju Shirodkar to name the Ravindra Bhavan circle as Dambab circle.
>> Councilors demanded ban on migrant vendors selling fruits, vegetables and fish along the road side in the commercial capital
