MARGAO
The first ordinary Margao Municipal Council meeting chaired by Margao Civic Alliance (MCA) Chairperson Lyndon Pereira had a take away for the alliance promoters -- MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai -- their very own councillors emerged as key opponents in the 25-member civic body.
Ignored in the race for the chairperson’s chair, angry MCA councilors -- former two-time chairperson Ganashyam Shirodkar and two-time councillor and Digambar Kamat’s close aide Damu Shirodkar cornered chairperson Lyndon at Wednesday’s meeting.
In fact, the duo was on their feet from the word go, emerging as key opposition instead of the 7-member BJP group in the civic body, sending a clear signal to the Digambar-Vijai duo that they will take the ruling group head on.
The ordinary meeting called to decide on the number of posts that would comprise of the statutory committees, including the Standing Committee and the Subjects Committee, dragged on for over half an hour when it ought to have been wound up within five minutes.
Former chairperson Ganashyam was on his feet no sooner chairperson Lyndon outlined the purpose behind calling the meeting. When the chairperson said the council was called to decide on the two committees and its composition, Ganashyam posed a volley of questions, prompting Lyndon to cut short the discussion, saying the City Fathers are in favour of electing only two committees.’
An angry Damu Shirodkar stood up advising the chairperson that he should listen more to the councillors instead of imposing his views on the City Fathers. He even went to the extent of saying that the chairperson has insulted the two-time former chairperson by his utterances. Independent councillor Mahesh Amonkar, who had moved away from the Kamat camp after being denied a ticket, was also joined by Ganashyam and Damu to fire shots at the chairperson.
They contended that there’s no provision in the Goa Municipalities Act which supports that only the vice-chairperson should be the chairman of the market panel, citing a couple of instances how members have also headed the panel in the past.
The MMC chairperson seemed to have fumbled on the question of constituting the garbage committee even though the solid waste management rules mandate the civic bodies to form a committee. He also seemed to have created bad blood with the councillors when he tried to bulldoze his way by banking on majority in the civic body, a move that invited flak from the Ganashyam-Damu duo.
At one point, Ganashyam threatened to file contempt plea against the chairperson if he doesn’t form the garbage committee, even as Assistant engineer Vishant Naik rushed to the chairperson to brief him and the Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes on the mandatory provision, literally saving the day for the newly-elected chairperson.
Incidentally, as the confusion prevailed and discussions headed aimlessly, ruling councillor Raju Naik suggested that Chief Officer explain to the City Fathers the relevant provisions of the Act, but in vain.
A couple of ruling councillors also maintained that the chairperson ought to have called a meeting of the group one day before the ordinary meeting.
