MAPUSA
Admitting that generating revenue would be a huge task in the background of the raging pandemic, the newly-elected Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council, Shubangi Vaigankar on Thursday said her priority would be to ensure proper door-to-door garbage collection and to take up work on cleaning of River Tar and the new bus-stand.
Treading cautiously, she said Mapusa has several issues but she would tackle them by taking all the councillors and the local MLA into confidence.
“Mapusa has been facing a host of problems. Just as all the councillors have elected me as the chairperson, I will need the support and cooperation of all the councillors while taking up the development works of Mapusa forward. With the help of the local MLA Joshua D’Souza and the support of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, State BJP President Sadanand Tanavade and party organizing secretary Satish Dhond, we will bring about development in town,” Vaigankar said.
She was addressing the media soon after she was declared elected unopposed as the chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council. Chandrashekar Benkar was also elected unopposed as the vice-chairperson.
Speaking further, Vaigankar said she needed time to make a comprehensive study of all the problems facing the town and along with the support of her colleagues and the local MLA, they would work to bring about a change.
The chairperson admitted that the financial position of the council was precarious and without revenue, the council would not be able to do much.
“The Mapusa market is shut for the last 15 days. Small-time businesses are completely closed. These are difficult times. We hope this will come to an end very soon and we will be able to take up some works,” she said.
To a question whether she would consider giving relief to Mapusa merchants by ignoring the rent of a certain period, she said she would have to take all the other councillors into consideration before taking any decision.
Earlier, all the 20 elected candidates took the oath of office and read the councillor's code of conduct. Fifteen councillors took the oath in English, three in Marathi and two in Konkani.
