PANAJI
In what could be a first, North Goa Collector Sneha Gitte was on Friday issued a show cause notice for failing to inform key disaster management officials about a crucial State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) meeting scheduled on the same day.
The notice, issued by Revenue Secretary and SDMA Member Secretary Sandip Jacques (IAS), questioned why action should not be taken against her for the oversight and has been given 72 hours from the receipt of the notice to submit her explanation.
The meeting, held at Mantralaya at 11 am, was convened by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, also the SDMA Chairperson, to examine the causes of landslides in Goa and to propose restoration measures.
The Principal Chief Engineer (Public Works Department) and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests among other key department heads were not present for the meeting, due to the alleged communication lapse.
“It has been observed that due to notices have not been delivered to important functionaries involved in disaster management such as PCE-PWD, PCCF and a few other relevant HODs. It is expedient that as Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, North, you ought to have been more cautious in the matter of issuing notices to relevant officers, as there were many modes of communication including important WhatsApp groups and even telephonically, more importantly as the meeting was convened by SDMA Chairman/CM,” the SCN stated.
The notice was issued with the approval of the Chief Secretary, who is also the CEO SDMA and has asked Gitte to reply within 72 hours.
