SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
The State government on Friday issued orders for the transfer of the Corporation of the City of Panjim Commissioner, Sanjit Rodrigues. The move seems to defy all logic considering that the government has just eight months to complete the promises made to Panjimites during the 2012 Assembly elections.
Sanjit, who once upon a time was the blue-eyed boy of Defence Minister and Ex-Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, has served the CCP in two terms from 2003 to 2004 and now from 2012 to 2016.
Interestingly, it was Parrikar who had brought Sanjith to the CCP when he became the Chief Minister in 2012.
However now it seems that Sanjit has become unwanted due to his tough stand on corruption.
Sources in the CCP also mentioned that it was the combined move of both Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate and the Siddharth Kuncalienkar panel to relocate Sanjith.
“The decision has been taken in the absence of Mayor Surendra Furtado and has been a combined effort of both Babush and the Siddharth panel,” sources in the CCP said.
Besides his tough stand on corruption, what has gone against Sanjit is his tough stance against the tenants. “He had issued eviction notices to five petrol pumps in the city which did not pay rent. Additionally, he did the same to the tenants beside the Prasa de Comer building who had also failed to deposit rents,” sources said adding, “The eviction proceedings were at an advance stage and the order could be passed anytime.”
Further, sources add that Sanjit also issued eviction notices to illegal occupants in the new market complex.
Sources further stated that many of the occupants at the market, the petrol pumps and Prasa de Comer building were BJP supporters.
“This has not gone down well with the BJP government and hence the decision was taken to move Sanjit out,” the source said.
Also, it is learned that Sanjit has never had good relations with St Cruz legislator Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate.
However, the decision still is beyond imagination considering that the CCP has several issues to handle at this point of time like the Smart City, AMRUT report and the Solid waste management plant at Bainguinim.
“With elections so close, it was a tough decision to take as the new person who takes over will need months to understand the issues itself. Under Sanjit, the work was on and all these projects were moving ahead swiftly,” sources said.
When contacted for his views, Sanjit refused to speak, saying transfers are a routine thing and it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister and that he didn’t want to speak anything with regard to it.
