TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: Reacting angrily to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for blaming the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) for the Canacona building tragedy, CMC councillors had alleged that Parrikar was trying to shield his TCP department by pointing fingers at the Urban Development department, indirectly putting the onus on Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza.
Speaking to Herald, some CMC councillors dismissed Parrikar’s accusations and stated that it was an established fact that without TCP’s approval, nothing could move in the construction industry.
“The chief minister is politically, legally and morally wrong in putting the blame squarely on the local body for the Ruby Residency disaster. He is misguiding the public by saying that under the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, local bodies are empowered, when everybody knows that government has not devolved those powers to any local body” said CMC Chairperson Madhav Dessai.
“TCP approves everything in a file pertaining to construction activity and no local body is in a position to proceed with the construction licence, unless the file is received and approved by TCP.”
“Besides, once the file reaches the local body (municipality), elected representatives or the chairperson do not deal with the file, but it is processed by the municipal engineer and chief officer, both government representatives. So what is the chief minister trying to prove by pointing fingers at the CMC on the Ruby Residency tragedy,” asked Dessai.
Going a step ahead, Poinguinim ZP Daya Pagui, who has been at the site since the building collapsed, sought to know if the chief minister was indirectly pointing fingers at Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who holds the urban development portfolio.
“This appears to be the case as Parrikar has been targeting the CMC for the wrongdoing and has been absolving the TCP department in this tragedy,” said Pagi.
“The CMC chief officer and municipal engineer directly report to the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), which is under the Urban Development department. So, is the chief minister blaming his deputy for the tragedy?”
“If the deputy town planner of Canacona had acted without the knowledge of the chief town planner, thereby justifying his suspension and arrest, doesn’t that mean that the TCP department is also responsible for the building collapse,” asked Pagi.
