Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Mayor Surendra Furtado has approached the State Government demanding an inquiry into irregularities in the Panjim municipal market.
In a letter to Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, Furtado also demanded an investigation into the alleged false affidavit filed before the High Court by then City Commissioner Deepak Desai in connection with illegal shops in the market.
Furtado alleged that Desai filed a false affidavit in 2017 before the High Court stating that he had sealed 22 CCP shops in the municipal market and that they are in the custody of CCP. He cited a RTI reply mentioning that shops were not sealed. “I earnestly request you to kindly order an inquiry into the irregularities in the new municipal market vis-z-vis the false affidavit filed by the ex-Commissioner Desai,” he demanded.
Desai had earlier denied the allegations, stating the shops were sealed by his predecessor and continue to remain shut. “Every action initiated is through the Corporation and not an individual. I have all the evidences and will produce at the right time,” he had said.
Furtado further demanded that action to dispose cases of illegal occupation of the shops in the market be expedited, which are currently being transferred to additional collector North Goa under the Public Premises Act. “Government should take immediate steps to sign the leave and license agreements with the legal tenants. In absence of this, CCP is incurring heavy losses,” Furtado added.
The councilor urged the government to appoint a Special Officer to sort out the problems of the market.
and initiate recovery proceedings as the Commissioner Ajit Roy is over burdened with administrative works.
