Sanguem councillors protest against partiality
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
SANGUEM, AUG 29
Five councillors of Sanguem Municipal Council (SMC) comprising Chairperson Harsha Dilesh Sambhari and councillors Sanjay Raikar, Zarina Bi, Agenlo Da Costa and Sandesh Kossambe protested in front of SMC on August 29 by wearing black gowns.
The protest was in the wake of Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) order dated August 20, where the DMA has approved and sanctioned work projects allegedly in five selected wards by ignoring the remaining five.
The five wards where the work projects sanctioned are represented by SMC Vice Chairperson Caitano Fernandes, Queroz Cruz, Romualdo Fernandes, Agnela Da’Costa and Suryadatt Naik with an amount of Rs 46,72,113 being sanctioned for the projects.
Ward wise allocation of the funds are Ward No 1 (Rs 9,73,168), Ward No 3 (Rs 11,59,716), Ward No 5 (Rs 16,64,648), Ward No 7 (Rs 5,34,168) and Ward No 10 (Rs 3,76,413).
The protestors told reporters that till date, Minister for Urban Development Joaquim Alemao has not discriminated while allocating work projects in the municipality. Irrespective of the councillors heading the ward, funds were sanctioned for the projects as per the list forwarded by the council.
“In the instant case, the three lists forwarded by the Municipal Council are allegedly ignored by the DMA,” claimed the protestors.
“A fourth list is prepared allegedly making a selection of work projects in the five wards and ignoring others,” the protestors alleged.
SMC Chairperson Harsha D Sambhari while reposing full faith in Alemao claimed that the minister must have been misguided by some councillors and men in his office in getting the present sanction order.
“Alemao will never act in a partial manner,” echoed Agnelo Da Costa and Sanjay Raikar.
Incidentally, the protestors are all the more sore over the recent sanction order as the elections are round the corner.
“When the project work commences in other wards, our voters will be disillusioned and we will have no answer to give them when we go to their houses to seek votes,” claimed Agnelo Da Costa.
He urged Alemao to consider the list forwarded by SMC and sanction work projects in the remaining five wards, as otherwise grave injustice will be done for the voters in their wards.
