Mapusa Municipal Council Chief Officer Amitesh Shirvoikar on Tuesday said the Sopo contractor was overcharging and his office had received complaints against the contractor but maintained that he has still not gone through the Sopo contractor’s reply on the show-cause notice.
Shirvoikar also said the Sopo contractor should have complained to the vigilance department or any other appropriate authority on his allegations of demand of hafta by three councillors.
“I have received complaints that the Sopo contractor has overcharged the vendors during the Chaturthi festival from two councillors. Besides, I have also personally met some of the vendors who have said that they have been charged extra during the Matoli bazaar,” Shirvoikar said.
When the opposition demanded a copy of the reply to the show-cause notice given by the Sopo contractor, the chief officer initially said he could not give the copy as it was part of inquiry but later relented when Councillor Shashank Narvekar brought to his attention that they were entitled to a copy as councillors since it’s part of municipal property.
“I have not read the reply of the Sopo contractor. It is part of the inquiry proceedings. It should not have gone out. I don’t know how it got leaked to the media,” the chief officer further said.
