QUEPEM: A Quepem Municipal Council meeting took a tumultuous turn on Friday, lasting only half an hour as Chairperson Suchita Shirwaikar abruptly adjourned proceedings amid a heated debate with Councillor Amol Kanekar concerning dearness allowance (DA) payments to workers.
The meeting commenced on an uneasy note as objections were raised by councillors regarding the absence of prepared minutes from the previous session.
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However, tensions escalated during discussions about Variable Dearness Allowance, with Amol contending that only two out of the 13 eligible beneficiaries had received the benefit.
Amol asserted, “This is totally unfair as all are working and all should get the benefit,” while alleging that the Chairperson favoured her associates, particularly her son employed by the council, with the Chief Officer’s alleged complicity in this “corruption.” As the discussion intensified and accusations of corruption were voiced, chaos erupted among councillors, prompting Chairperson Suchita to adjourn the meeting. The session began on an inauspicious note as the Chief Officer failed to present the minutes from the previous meeting. Following heated discussions, it was decided to proceed with the meeting, with a majority of councillors in favor.
Amol argued that the non-implementation of the council’s decision to grant Variable Dearness Allowance to all workers, as discussed in the previous meeting, led to the omission of those minutes in today’s session.
“The workers are in need of the DA as they have not received their salaries for the last two months,” he emphasised while accusing the Chairperson of favoritism in awarding DA to her son.
Amidst blaming the Chief Officer for the salary payment issues, Amol accused the official of supporting corruption by allegedly releasing DA to the Chairperson’s son. Chairperson Suchita, acknowledging that DA payment was discussed in the last meeting, explained the absence of minutes and proposed a meeting postponement. However, councillors opted to proceed, prompting her to accuse Amol of seeking an excuse to disrupt the meeting.
She contended that Amol was exaggerating the issue and accused him of intentionally instigating turmoil, leading to the adjournment of the meeting.
