PANJIM: Almost a month after declaring Panjim as open defecation free (ODF), City Mayor Uday Madkaikar has alleged that the civic body’s former commissioner Shashank Tripathi pressured councillors to provide certificates to declare their respective wards free from open defecation.
Addressing media persons on Thursday, Madkaikar levied a series of allegations against Tripathi, including non-clearance of over 500 files.
Tripathi, who was recently transferred as the new director of Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, was replaced by Sanjit Rodrigues as CCP Commissioner, last week.
Madkaikar said that Tripathi, on the assurance to provide mobile toilets and start work of construction of Sulabh toilets from September 10, pressurised corporators to provide the certificates. “We did it. But today we see no work of construction of toilets has begun nor wards have been provided with mobile toilets. He is now transferred and I am answerable to councilors,” he said.
CCP last month passed a resolution declaring the city wards within its jurisdiction as open defecation free. “We need 300 toilets,” the Mayor said.
Further, Madkaikar alleged that 500 files were kept pending by the former commissioner for the last four months. “After Sanjit took over as the new Commissioner, he has cleared many of them,” he said.
The Mayor has also sought details after it was alleged that Tripathi misused a Corporation vehicle to allegedly ferry his wife, who works in Vasco. “I received a complaint that one of our vehicles is missing. On inquiry, I was informed that Tripathi used it to ferry his wife from Panjim to Vasco. The vehicle used to have six trips daily, which included lunch break also. Four months the vehicle was misused,” he said.
