CO sets 48-hr deadline to all MMC councillors

Ordered to specify duplicate works carried out in respective wards
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: With the Chief Minister’s office seeking a detailed report on the controversial e-tenders floated by the Margao Municipal Council, Chief Officer Deepal Naik on Monday set a 48-hour deadline to all the 20 councillors to specify the duplicate works carried out in their respective wards.
The Chief Officer’s directions assumes significance given that a verification exercise undertaken by the municipal technical section has revealed that work on five out of the total tendered works stands partially completed. “I have asked the councillors to give in writing the works that have been duplicated in the tender. In the past, I had received a complaint from 12 councillors stating that works have been duplicated in their wards. But, the technical section says that only five works stands partially completed,” the Chief Officer told Herald, while saying that the objective is to personally know from the individual City Fathers the duplicate works in their wards.
Asked why she has given 48 hours deadline on the councillors to submit the data on the status of works in their wards, the Chief Officer said the Chief Minister’s office has sought a detailed report on the status of the e-tender controversy.
Replying to a question, the Chief Officer said that she has issued memos on the junior engineers after it has come to light that five of the tendered works were found partially completed. Incidentally, the Municipal technical section has reiterated that the engineers were not taken into confidence by the civic body before going ahead with the controversial e-tender.
I have asked the councillors to give in writing the works that have been duplicated in the tender. In the past, I had received a complaint from 12 councillors stating that works have been duplicated in their wards. But, the technical section says that only five works stands partially completed, said Deepal Naik