Team Herald
PANJIM: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday called for the dissolution of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) claiming it was involved in ‘dirty politicking’.
AAP submitted a memorandum to the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) alleging that MMC was manipulating contracts, mismanaging garbage at Sonsodo and so called for the dissolution of the the council’s to “stop further draining of the constrained exchequer in terms of salaries to councillors and the use of official vehicle of the chairperson and other related expenditure and put an end to corruption” that is plaguing the MMC.
AAP Goa convenor Rajeshree Nagarsekar said it was absurd for MMC to seek the arrest of three activists involved in exposing corrupt practices of the council. Ethel Lobo, Croydon Medeira and Nelson Fernandes had filed a complaint with the Vigilance department alerting authorities of attempts by some councillors to bypass the e-tendering system by manipulating contract amounts.
“AAP Goa understands that the false police complaint was filed against the activists is clearly to silence the voice of dissent and is highly undemocratic. AAP Goa also understands that the resolution by MMC to arrest the activists… is an attempt to victimise them for exposing the corruption of the chairperson,” she said.
Giving an example of bickering within the council, the party said, a recent meeting convened to discuss the issue of garbage handling at Sonsoddo failed to stick to the agenda resulting in chaos. Nagarsekar said it was condemnable that instead of investigating the footage of the incident and taking action accordingly, MMC is supporting the wrong doing of its councillors and officers thereby trying to stifle the Opposition.
A demand was also made to amend the Municipal Act to bring people’s participation in council meetings and for conduct of ward sabhas along the lines of gram sabhas.
AAP Goa called for the dissolution of the council that has seen seven chief officers during this term saying they had failed to resolve issues related to parking, solid waste management, Sonsoddo, infrastructure for day to day waste collection, stray dogs, illegal signboards and encroachments.
