MARGAO, SEPT 21
There is disquiet in the corridors of the Margao Municipal Council. For, the government has brought back Prasanna Acharya as the Chief Officer — who had earned the wrath of the ruling Councilors a couple of months ago after he had charged some councilors of extorting money from builders.
Ruling Councilors in private expressed surprise over the government decision to replace incumbent Chief Officer Y B Tawde with Acharya when all appeared well in the Civic administration. What has added salt to injury, Councilors say is that Acharya had accused unnamed Councilors for extorting money from builders – a charge that had paved the way for his transfer from the Civic body in April last.
In fact, there was no love lost between Acharya and the Councilors when they had demanded filing of a petition in the high court to direct Acharya to disclose the names of the Councilors involved in corruption and extortion.
When contacted, MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho said he has no idea over Tawde’s replacement with Acharya, saying it is the prerogative of the government to appoint any official as the Chief Officer. “I have no idea over the government’s move. And, I have no comment to offer”, he said.
Sources in the know say that it is not uncommon to replace or post new officers before the election code of conduct comes into force, but have now knowledge why Tawde was divested of his additional charge as the MMC chief Officer.
For, Tawde, however, an unceremonious transfer from the Margao Civic body is not something new. Records show that this is the fourth time in the last four years that Tawde has been transferred from the Margao Civic body.
A glance at the records indicates that Tawde was first posted as MMC Chief Officer on August 23, 2007 and was transferred nine months later. He, however, returned back after the polls on June 11, 2007 and again transferred in less than two months after being replaced by N D Agrawal.
That’s not all. The government thought it fit to bring back Tawde again in 2008 after Agrawal’s exit and continued to preside over the Civic administration for more than a year, before being again replaced by Prasanna Acharya.
And, as if that he and the Margao Municipal Council are made for each other, Tawde returned back as head of the Civic administration on April 16, 2009 after Acharya sought his transfer following sharp differences with the ruling body, only to be transferred yet again on Monday by a government order.
