NESWIN ALMEIDA
MARGAO: Y B Tawde on the eve of his daughter’s marriage got a gift from the Laxmikant Parsekar government wherein he was one of the 18 officers transferred – he was shunted out of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC). A veteran of the MMC, having served many stints as its Chief Officer, Tawde was surprised to see himself being moved out.
“We are happy that the MMC has received a new Chief Officer in Siddhivinayak Naik and we hope that he being a full-time officer in Margao, with no other posting, will be available to us on a daily basis to inspect plans, approvals and other administration work of the council,” said MMC Chairperson Babita Angle.
She ascertained that the municipal administration took a hit with no full-time officer with Tawde also the Additional Collector, spent more time at the Collectorate and was available less often at the council. The month-old council is already facing the heat to perform as most of those elected are new faces and campaigned for a change in the municipality.
The irony though is that MMC has been under a cloud of corruption and was in the news when former chairperson Gonzaco Rebello faced demolition orders of his bar as an illegal construction. Margao’s resident then voted for 80 percent new council.
The new chief officer’s appointment is starting to look a little controversial since he is being probed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for his involvement in not following procedures and a bribery scam along with former MLA and animal husbandry minister Ravi Naik when he, the minister and a few others hired personnel in the Goa Animal Husbandry Department during the Election Code of Conduct in 2011-12.
“The officer has not been under suspension during the probe and hence, I don’t see a problem of him being posted in Margao. But its good and relieving that Margao has a full-time officer and will look in the day-to-day affairs of the MMC,” said Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai.Meanwhile Siddhivinayak asserted that he has no clue as to why he’s been posted to MMC but will work for the council and DMA and give his best. He downplayed his past corruption charges or his appointment as being controversial and to shun Tawde out of the MMC.
