MARGAO: The 12-member opposition group in the Margao Municipal Council has urged Chief Officer Deepali Naik to immediately scrap the controversial e-tender citing a host of irregularities and discrepancies.
The Chief Officer, however, said she would not scrap the tender process, but will seek advise of the Director of Municipal Administration to ascertain whether the process can be extended further to rectify the discrepancies, if any.
Minutes after they succeeded in voting out Chairperson Arthur D’Silva, the 12-member group called on the MMC Chief Officer and demanded that the tender be scrapped or kept on hold. Heated exchanges ensued between the Chief Officer and the opposition group, who brought to her notice the irregularities in the tendering process. “How can the civic body go ahead with the tendering process when there are discrepancies?” questioned acting Chairperson Berta Cardozo.
At one point, the Chief Officer said the 12-member group may even ask for her transfer from the civic body, saying that she is even prepared for a transfer from the municipality.
Councillor Tito Cardozo drew attention of the Chief Officer to the fact that the schedule of the works was not uploaded on the website even on Thursday, indicating the technical defects in the e-tendering process.
While the Chief Officer maintained that she cannot scrap the process on her own, she however, promised to seek advise of the DMA on the issue if she receives a written representation from the city fathers. Around noon, acting Municipal Chairperson Berta Cardozo moved a note to the CO to immediately suspend till further orders by issue of a notice or corrigendum the issue of tender notices and the notified time schedules, namely submission of tenders,opening
of tenders.
