MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council witnessed an unprecedented uproar on Thursday as people’s power reigned supreme in the civic boy with agitated citizens taking on the city fathers as they rallied behind the Municipal Chief Officer and demanding suspension of erring officials.
Perhaps for the first time, citizens turned up in large numbers for the municipal meeting convened to discuss and approve the budget. That the citizens came well prepared became evident when they were found seated in the Municipal hall even before the city fathers could take their seats. Unlike in the past, the Municipal meeting hall was packed to the capacity with citizens occupying all available space.
Trouble began when the citizens led by Adv Rajiv Gomes demanded an interaction with the councillors after the budget meeting, but the request did not find favour with the city fathers. The citizens tried to get on to the dais as they saw the councillors leaving the hall through the rear side, but were kept at bay by a strong posse of policemen.
The irate citizens then headed into the cabin of the Chief Officer, Naveen S L, bringing to his notice the chairperson’s refusal for an interaction and pointing that they had wanted the city fathers to answer a host of grievances and queries plaguing the city.
Adv Gomes, former MMC vice-chairperson Ethel Lobo, Nelson Fernandes, Andrew Sequeira, Cedric Da Costa, Crydon Madeira and others also demanded to know why Councillor Damu Shirodkar had till date failed to unveil the documents in his possession when he had alleged a fraud by the chief officer. The chief officer replied that the councillor is using the modus operandi to intimidate and coerce the officials just to get his work done.
The citizens further demanded that the chief officer upload on the website the next council meeting, asserting that the citizens will henceforth attend all council meetings in the future.
The citizens then barged into the chamber of Chairperson Gonzaco Rebello and literally grilled him on a host of issues. They even got the chairperson call the municipal engineer in his chamber and answer the query over the delay in the demotion of Gonzaco’s illegal structure. The irate citizens also had a spat with a couple of city fathers in their chambers.
The citizens point blank told the municipal chairperson that they want the chief officer to stay put in the civic body to put the administration in order. The chairperson literally expressed his helplessness when the citizens questioned him over the return of an assistant engineer back to the civic body, saying he is being kept in the dark even over the internal transfers in the civic body.
When the people demanded the suspension of market inspector, Anil Shirodkar for visiting the residence of Nelson Fernandes a day ago under the garb of inspection, the chairperson said he has not received any complaint so far. In the meantime, Chief Officer Naveen told the citizens that he can consider placing the market inspector under suspension if the same is recommended by the council.
Adv Gomes later told the media that the councillors left the meeting hall through the back door without answering their grievances. “The councillors are not above the citizens. We have elected them and they are bound to reply to us,’ he said.
