MMC sans full-fledged CO!
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, NOV 25
Just imagine a situation when an A class 20-member Municipal body is presided over the civic administration by a part-time Chief Officer.
Indeed, the Margao Municipal body appears destined to be ruled by a part-time Chief Officer. If the outgoing Margao municipal body had to contend with a civic administration headed by only part-time chief officers over the last two years, the new set of city fathers have realised the bitter truth that they have to approach a part-time Chief Officer, Prasanna Acharya, who is more often found in the District Collectorate than in the civic body.
And, in the absence of the District Collector, South G P Naik in the last few days, Acharya is looking after the affairs of the Collector’s office, leaving the civic body high and dry.
In fact, incumbent Chief Officer Prasanna Acharya, who was deputed to hold additional charge as MMC Chief Officer on the eve of the municipal polls, is not available for the city fathers and members of the public at all times.
Newly-elected Councillors in private have called for deputation of a full-fledged chief officer to the civic body to meet the urgent administrative requirements. “Either the Chief Minister should direct Acharya to take full charge of the civic administration or draft a new officer to the civic body”, remarked a city fathers.
Incidentally, GPCC general secretary Vijay Sardessai, while offering the unconditional support to form the new council had suggested to the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to post a full-fledged chief officer to meet the requirements.
Incidentally, statistics revealed that the civic body was presided over by two chief officers in the last two years – Prasanna Acharya and his predecessor Y B Tawde – both Additional Collectors in the South Goa District Collectorate.
Ironically, both the officers have succeeded each other in the civic body, but the dream of many a city father to have an independent and full-fledged chief officer remains unfulfilled till date.