MARGAO
In a major development, the letter sent by Urban Department headed by Minister Vishwajit Rane to the Margao Municipal Chief Officer to withdraw the Margao Municipal Council’s recruitment process as cancelled has gone abegging.
For, even after three days after the Director, Urban Department Gurudas Pilarnekar sent the fiat to the MMC Chief Officer based on a note issued by Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane, to withdraw the recruitment process as cancelled, no public notice stopping the recruitment process has been issued by the Margao Municipal Council till date.
In another development, contrary to the statement made by Congress-turned-BJP Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar that Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane is likely to withdraw his note, ordering cancellation of the MMC recruitment process, sources informed that Rane has not yet withdrawn his note put up to the DMA Pilarnekar last week.
In another twist to the saga, Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar rushed to Panjim to brief Urban Development Director Gurudas Pilarnekar on the issue. For, it is reliably learnt that though the Chief Officer had reportedly prepared the notice for cancellation of the recruitment process, the file has not returned back to his chamber from the municipal sections.
When The Goan called up the Director, Urban Development Pilarnekar to shed light on the fact that the MMC has not cancelled the recruitment process as per his letter sent to the civic body on Friday last, he said the MMC Chief Officer is required to act on his letter or face contempt of court in a mater pending in the High Court.
In fact, Pilarnekar informed that he had issued the letter to the MMC to withdraw the recruitment process as withdrawn based on a note put up the Urban Development Minister.
“There’s no question of withdrawing the letter issued to the Margao Municipal Chief Officer to cancel the process. Since my letter was based on the note put up by the Minister, I cannot withdraw the letter to the civic body unless the note put up by my Minister is withdrawn”, he said, insisting that the MMC has to act on his letter requesting the MMC to withdraw the recruitment process.
Sources in the know pointed out that Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar has found himself in a tight spot over the recruitment process. On one hand, he has received a letter from the Director, Urban Development to withdraw the recruitment process as cancelled. On the other hand, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, who is controlling the civic body has gone to the public, stating that the Urban Development Minister, will withdraw the letter requesting the MMC to cancel the recruitment process.
Sources pointed out that the Chief Officer was initially scheduled to cancel the recruitment process on Saturday after receiving the DMA’s letter on Friday. Till date, however, the process has not been cancelled, even as sources said the file pertaining to the recruitment has not returned back to the Chief Officer’s chamber from the Municipal sections till Monday evening.
In his note put up to the Director, Urban Development, Rane had issued directions that all recruitments in the Councils are to be done either by the Director of Urban Development or through the Staff Selection Commission.
