Team Herald
MARGAO: The functioning of the Margao Municipal Council appears to be hampered with the absence of a full time Chief Officer, notwithstanding that Collector Swapnil Naik does call for files to his office at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex.
Naik is holding additional charge as Margao Municipal Council chief officer.
The council has not taken any action against the establishments that have encroached upon the footpaths or verandas to conduct their business thereby causing all sorts of problems to pedestrians and motorists.
The former chief officer Y B Tavde had on May 30 promised that the market inspectors would inspect the establishments and ensure the verandas and footpaths would be made free. However, no action of any nature even an inspection has been carried out till date.
Taxation Officer Abhay Rane who looks after the market inspectors was not available for his comments as he was holding additional charge at the Mormugao Municipal Council.
It was brought to the notice of MMC that at the Old Market the establishment named Manush Bar and Restaurant has since closed down but somebody is running a tandoor on the veranda of the said Manush bar and restaurant and going by the crowd there, is doing roaring business.
However, the MMC does not have any record of the person running the tandoor and does not even know his name as it is not receiving any revenue from it.
At the other end of Margao near Khareband in a similar manner a fast food joint is being run on the footpath or veranda of an old bar and restaurant that was existing there. The Green Land Restaurant that is run there only in the evening, is found only on the footpath which results in traffic jams as vehicles are parked haphazardly as they wait to collect their take away.
Similarly, the three or four people who have occupied the footpath opposite Hotel Anapurna have not been cleared as yet and surprisingly no officer of the Margao Municipal Council was willing to comment on it.
