TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: In an interesting development, the government has transferred Margao Municipal Engineer, Diniz C T De Melo, even as the Director of Municipal Administration has suspended the operation of all the Occupancy Certificates, construction licenses and NOCs issued by the engineer with immediate effect.
These documents were issued by the MMC Municipal engineer during the casual leave period of the regular Chief Officer on March 18 and 19.
The DMA Elvis Gomes has further constituted a two-member team of Municipal engineers, comprising of S D Gaonkar and Ramchandra S Bhanji, to inspect the construction sites and such other premises against which the licenses, NOCs and occupancy certificates were issued by the MMC engineer. The team has been directed to place their report before the MMC Chief Officer, with a direction to decide the case on merit.
In his order, the DMA asserted that all the licenses, NOCs and certificates were issued by the MMC engineer without authorisation and beyond the purview of the Municipal engineer under the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968.
Copy of the order has also been sent to the Assistant engineer, Water and Electricity department for their information, with directions not to act on the basis of the above mentioned NOCs for release of temporary water or electricity connection. Both the departments were directed to reverse any action taken by them based on the NOCs issued by the now transferred Municipal engineer.
Concerned parties in whose favour these licenses, NOCs and occupancy certificates have been issued shall appear before the MMC Chief Officer upon receiving a notice to that effect.
An occupancy certificate, three construction licenses, besides six NOCs for power and water connections were issued by Diniz De Melo during the casual leave period of the regular chief officer on March 18 and 19.
