PWD shunts 35: courtesy water tanker racket
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 29
Following allegations of corruption levelled by opposition leader Manohar Parrikar, the Public Works Department has transferred 35 employees from its Porvorim and Mapusa Water Supply Division XVII.
The 35 employees include one Junior Engineer Anup Sardesai, five tanker drivers, 10 plumbers, five pump operators and 14 labourers.
The action came a day after Parrikar alleged that the PWD employees were involved in water tanker business and as such were not supplying regular water to Mapusa and Porvorim areas in order to promote their business.
Parrikar had said that there was sufficient water supply for Bardez but its distribution management was very bad.
To this, PWD Minister Churchill Alemao had said that whenever he tried to transfer any employee, local legislators interfered. But some MLAs assured the minister that they would not interfere in the transfer. Acting promptly, Churchill ordered that transfer orders be issued.
According to top officials in the PWD, some of the employees now transferred had become so arrogant that they even challenged the higher officers to try and transfer them.
Joint venture!: “All five drivers transferred had tanker business in their wives or relatives names,” stated Division XVII Executive Engineer Kamladini speaking to Herald adding “the rest were just not obeying their senior’s orders”.
The five drivers are — Babu Killedar, Tulshidas Panjikar, Pradip Vaingankar, Keshav Sharmalkar and John D’Souza.
Kamladini said that all the above employees had been working at the same place for more than 10 years.
Principal Chief Engineer AM Wachasunder when contacted told Herald the transfers have come based on the assurance given by the minister on the floor of the house.
“They were overdue for transfer and also the minister had given assurance, on the floor of the house, of transfers based on allegations made by the opposition leader,” Wachasudner said.
Sources in the department have informed Herald that the transferred employees are now moving from pillar to post to get their transfer orders cancelled.
