Herald: What do you think is the role of a councillor?
Francis D’Souza: I myself came from the grassroots. The problem here is that councillors are so focused on their ward and clearing garbage, that they forget the council they represent. The councillors are city fathers and have to look into the development of the city too. The functioning of the garbage dump, helping the municipality in house tax collection, maintaining drains, internal roads and culverts while overlooking maintenance of markets and sanitation are all roles of the councillor in a council.
Herald: But what powers does the council or the councillor have to get work done?
D’Souza: Here the problem is of the 74th Amendment, as the councillor works in his council while the Chief Officer has most of the powers and the Chief Officer has to work under the guidance of the Chairperson. The Directorate of Municipal Administration is an appellate body to take up matters of dispute or to challenge decisions of the municipal office.
Herald: But councillors are busy pushing political agenda and disbursing government doles and schemes?
D’Souza: I agree that the councilors are not aware of their duties and responsibilities and they need to be guided and trained. I have decided here at Mapusa to send the entire winning panel of councillors on training and awareness before they begin. I will be sending them to the All India Institute Self Government, Andheri. Let them learn their responsibilities.
Herald: But the plea is that the municipality especially the councillors have very little powers?
D’Souza: Our Urban Development Union Minister, Venkaiah Naidu, wants municipalities to be given more powers, increased functions and increased capacity, which means more funding. Also our councils need more function, in the sense more engineers are needed to study maters, more municipal workers are required and the council needs to get larger funding. We’re planning to amend the bill and create these provisions post the election.
