MMC employee assured of regularisation, withdraws stir

MMC employee assured of regularisation, withdraws stir
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JULY 31
Aggrieved Margao Municipal Council worker Wenceslau Silva, his relatives and well wishers have finally withdrawn their four-day hunger strike on Saturday noon.
This follows the assurance given by the Municipal Chairperson Savio Coutinho that the Civic body would call a Departmental Promotion Committee on Monday to decide Silva’s regularisation.
The Civic decision comes after Fatorda MLA, Damu Naik, MMC officials had a meeting with Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao Saturday morning and discussed at length Silva’s claim for regularisation.
A furious Urban Development Minister is believed to have questioned the MMC Chairperson and the Chief Officer for driving the worker to resort of hunger strike.
Silva was shifted to the Hospicio hospital late Friday night on health grounds, while his relatives and members of the Citizens Working Centre continued the fast till noon today.
It was only after MLA Damu Naik along with MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho and Chief Officer Y B Tawde visited the venue and promised to solve the issue by Monday, the relatives and CWC leader Sriram Raiturcar and others agreed to withdraw the fast around noon.
“Silva issue was a genuine one. He did not figure in the list of 39 workers who were regularised in 2006. He was denied justice despite being a ST and Goan”, MLA Damu said, adding that the Civic body has agreed to rectify the injustice done to the MMC worker.
CWC President Sriram Raiturcar said the fast was withdrawn after the Fatorda MLA and others promised to regularise Silva’s services. He thanked all those who offered their support to the worker to seek justice.
MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho later told newsmen that the Chief Officer has written a letter to the Director of Municipal Administration to attend the DPC meeting scheduled on Monday to decide the issue concerning Silva’s regularisation.