Deputy Speaker and Mapusa MLA has reportedly lodged a complaint with the Mapusa police over the increasing incidents of missing files and alleged mismanagement of the Mapusa Municipal Council. It is learnt that several files related to public works have disappeared from the municipal office, and in many cases, citizens were forced to submit duplicate documents to get their work done.
Such episodes of files going missing are not restricted to only the Mapusa Municipal Council but are also witnessed in other civic bodies across the State. Last year, the frequent disappearance of important files and citizens’ records from the Margao Municipality raised serious concerns about the civic body’s administrative efficiency and accountability, as complaints from citizens continued to mount. Such lapses need to be addressed in order to restore public confidence in the civic administration.
It is to be noted that in the past, there were several cases wherein even important files from the office had gone missing, and no one had a clue about their whereabouts. What could be the reason for files going missing in civic bodies? Is it negligence on the part of the authorities concerned, or is it a deliberate attempt to shelve a particular project? Is it due to corruption that is plaguing the particular civic body?
It must be said that once a file is given inward, it becomes the responsibility of the municipal staff. A file tracking system plays a critical role in safeguarding important paperwork. People should not be made to visit the municipal building multiple times to get their work done. Such a situation reflects badly on the municipal administration.
Officials and municipal staff must be responsive to the people. The disappearance of important files invariably puts spokes in the wheels of development proposed by municipal bodies and is a matter of grave concern.
