TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PONDA: Differences between MGP’s Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar and the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) have come to fore within a month since the formation of the new council, after PMC decided to shift its vehicles, including garbage vehicles, that were parked adjacent to a hotel owned by the family of former chief minister Ravi Naik.
It may be recalled that few days back, Naik had criticized PMC and claimed that the move was politically motivated.
On Monday, MGP youth wing sent a letter requesting the PMC to remove the garbage trucks in the interest of the residents.
“People have elected you to work for the betterment and such action will definitely earn a bad name to BJP-MGP coalition, which has won 11 of the 14 seats in the just concluded PMC polls,” stated the letter.
The MGP youth wing also opined that the move is politically motivated. “People are unhappy as vehicles parked next to the hotel are creating nuisance and it is a clear indication of revenge politics by some councillors,” added the letter.
When contacted, Mamledar was also of the opinion that vehicles should be removed from the site, but claimed helplessness saying he did not want to interfere in the matter.
“What PMC has done is improper. There is a pickup stand opposite the place where PMW vehicles are parked and pickup owners recently met me complaining about the issue. If I tell them (PMC), it will be misconstrued that I am interfering in the functioning of the PMC,” said Mamledar.
When contacted, PMC Chairperson Dr Radhika Nayak said MLA Mamledar is the ex-officio of the PMC and “he has the right to point out if something wrong is done.”
“There are no complaints from anyone and the place where the PMC vehicles have been shifted belongs to the PMC. In fact, people have complimented us for shifting the vehicles, which earlier were parked along the PMC garden. It was an eyesore to people visiting the garden,” said Nayak.
“PMC has received a letter in this regard, but it won’t be considered as there is a doubt regarding the authenticity of the letter. There is no letterhead and it is on a plain paper. There is nothing political in the matter, as claimed by certain people,” she added.
