MARGAO
Speculations in the corridors of the Margao Municipal Council that Chief Officer Biju Naik will not assume charge of office has come true on Thursday, as the civic body, in a record of sorts, got its second Chief Officer in a week’s time.
In fact, exactly a week after MMC Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar was transferred and replaced him with Biju Naik, the government has come out with an order, posting South Goa ZP Chief Executive Officer, Agnelo Fernandes as the new Chief Officer of the Margao Municipal Council.
Senior officials pointed out that with Biju Naik reportedly expressing her unwillingness to take charge of MMC office on personal grounds, the government had finally zeroed in Agnelo Fernandes to fill the void in the MMC left vacant by the transfer of Panchwadkar a week ago.
Sources informed that no senior officer was willing to work as Chief Officer in the Margao Municipal Council given the bitter past controversies attached to the office of the Chief Officer.
The Goan understands that the government had zeroed in on ZP CEO Agnelo Fernandes last year when moves were around to transfer then Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik, before the dispensation settled for Ajit Panchwadkar. Panchwadkar has since been shunted out of the civic body and posted as Director, Administration, PWD after serving the MMC for a period of 10-months, during which time he was locked in a cold war with MMC Chairperson Pooja Naik and had come face-to-face with the Municipal Employees Union over a host of issues, including harassment meted out to a lady employee.
Sources in the know informed that with no senior officer willing to take up a posting at the MMC, the government were in favour of Agnelo, given his rich experience in the Municipal administration.
In fact, senior officials informed that low-profile Agnelo has worked as Chief Officer in the A Class Mormugao Municipal Council and had a long stint as Chief Officer of the Cuncolim Municipality, Curchorem Municipal Council. He had also held additional charge as Chief Officer of the Sanguem and Canacona Municipal Council in his career.
Besides working as a Chief Officer of a host of municipalities, Agnelo had occupied the post of deputy Collector. “With his rich experience in Municipal affairs as well as in revenue matters, Agnelo was considered the best bet to occupy the post of MMC Chief Officer given his experience in the job,” a senior bureaucrat told The Goan.
