PONDA: People of Ponda are facing great hardships for the past three months on account of non-availability of Ponda Deputy Collector Vishal Kundaikar who has as additional charge as Mamlatdar at Margao.
According to Romaldo Fernandes, many time people visit Deputy Collector’s office at Ponda but are told he is in Margao doing Mamlatdar’s duty. Besides, various cases pending with the deputy collector get postponed and people have to unnecessarily pay their advocates, claim Ponda locals.
Beside his official work as Mamlatdar and Deputy collector, Vishal has often go out for other government work which not only hampers his work but also wastes time of locals coming to meet him in Ponda.
Deputy Collector has taken Charge of Deputy Collector three months ago but as he has the additional charge of Main Mamlatdar local work with Deputy Collector related to various files, petitions, court matters is pending. Besides various official work such as verification of OBC and ST Certificates, election-related work is held up. Even some police related cases are also required to be handled by the Deputy Collector.
There are around 19 panchayats in Ponda and considering the taluka has four constituencies, people are demanding that the Deputy Collector should not be given any additional charge and sought a full-time deputy collector for Ponda.
The Deputy Collector also confirmed he is holding additional charge and “doing his duty in best possible manner.”
Meanwhile it is learnt that Margao locals also face same inconvenience on account of the main Mamlatdar doubling up as Ponda Deputy Collector.
Earlier for a decade the Ponda Deputy Collector was having additional charge as Chief Officer of Ponda Municipal Council but it was not affecting the work much since both offices are located just 200 metres away from each other.
