TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, who faced flak for having his residence and office in Ruby Residency complex even after the collapse of a building under construction, has shifted his office outside the Ruby Residency Complex.
Tawadkar recently shifted his office to another residential unit located in the same locality, but outside the Ruby Residency Complex compound at Chaudi.
Sources close to Tawadkar, however, claim that the reason for shifting the office was to enable the public unhindered access to his office. “Earlier, the office was located in a block which was close to the collapsed building and the area continues to be partly cordoned off by police and enquiry/investigative panels constantly visiting the locality,” said a source.
It may be recalled that Tawadkar, who resides in a first floor flat in one block, was operating his office from 3rd floor of another block in Ruby Residency Complex.
After the January 4 tragedy, several people including politicians had blamed Tawadkar that despite residing in the complex, the minister was turning a blind eye to alleged illegalities which resulted into the tragedy killing 31 people and injuring several others.
As the search, rescue and recovery operations continued, Tawadkar strongly defended his position stating that he had no role in the construction of the buildings and that he had a sale deed for his residential flat he had purchased in 2008.
“I came to stay at Ruby Residency to make myself accessible to my electorate, since my native house is way inside a forest cover,” Tawadkar had stated.
Even though sources close to Tawadkar maintain that his office is shifted to new premises outside the Ruby Residency to allow him unhindered access to the people, Tawadkar’s critics maintain that the move was mainly to silence the criticism that linked him to the tragedy.
