PONDA
She may be the first citizen of Ponda city, but Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) Chairperson Dr Radhika Nayak has found no place in the government’s Ponda Shigmotsav committee, after being accused of failing to attend events of state and national importance. PONDA: Hitting out at PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar over her exclusion from the Ponda Shigmotsav committee, Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) Chairperson Dr Radhika Nayak insisted that protocol demanded the inclusion of her name.
Shigmotsav float parade in Ponda will take place on March 3, while the naman will be offered to goddess Mahalasa on February 27.
PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Saturday made it clear that the absence of Dr Nayak at key events has cost her a place in the committee.
At a meeting convened with officials concerned and panch members at the Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir, Dhavalikar said Dr Nayak had been not included in committee because she failed to attend state and national days.
“Every politician and officer should respect protocol and the constitution. The PMC chairperson fails to attend programmes of state and national importance. How can one remain absent for the flag hoisting event? Hence, I decided not to include her name in the committee,” he said.
“Whenever there are programmes of state and national importance at Azad Maidan in Panaji, I attend them with the chief minister. It is my duty to attend them. But here, the PMC chairperson fails to remain present most of the time,” he said.
“One should respect constitutional duties. She should inform the governor and general administrator if she cannot attend national functions, which she does not do.”
“I have not done this out of politics. But I am willing to include her name on the committee and if it is accepted, we can then consider what position she will be given,” Dhavalikar added.
Ponda Shigmostav committee consists of Sudin Dhavalikar (President ), Minister for Art and Culture Govind Gaude, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, South Goan MP Narendra Sawaikar, Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar (Vice presidents), Shantaram Kolvekar (Secretary), Vishwanath Dalvi (Joint Secretary), Nidhi Mamlekar (Treasurer) and Geetali Talaulikar (Joint Treasurer).
