Team Herald
margao: The Shadow Council for Margao (SMC) on Thursday presented the Report Card-1 of the outgoing Margao Municipal Council (MMC), which recently completed its 5-year tenure. The gathering called on the people to put up a united force to support new honest faces in the upcoming municipal election of Margao.
SMC convenor Savio Coutinho placed a presentation of various shortcomings and discrepancies of the present council which primarily included the alleged tender scams.
Savio said. “On November 8, the Fatorda councilors group addressed a press conference in an attempt to highlight what they see as their achievements. However, it stands confirmed beyond doubt that they have proven to be total failures. Projects like the Opinion poll square, Chapel shifting, traffic signals, etc can well be attributed to the local MLA and not the Council. Nevertheless, unlike the Margao lot, they at least came forward and faced the media.”
Sanjay Dessai, Gunaji Dessai, Felix Dias, Pradeep Naik, and others were present at the presentation. Savio added that it is time that like-minded people come together and put up a contest. “In the past many took support from politicians and have lost their voice out of fear of their political bosses. In fact, I would love to support someone who is independent,” he added.
The gathering insisted that a committee who will steer the above plan be made. The Convenor said they need to discuss this with a wider number of people for identifying people’s candidates.
“With respect to the claims of the former Chairperson Babita Angle, we wish to declare the Council under her tenure was a miserable failure. And we further charge that her silence/inaction on frauds like the AC Dustbin case; ghost workers scam by the waste collection contractor; the 26 lakh expenditure on purchase of Renerzyme; Rs 1 crore fine for pollution coupled with the expenditure of a like amount towards extinguishing of Sonsodo fire; the 1 lakh per day deal for the waste treatment plant; and most importantly the zero kg compost generation from the segregated wet waste, gives an indication of direct involvement in the frauds”, Coutinho stated while expressing disgust over the misuse of crores of rupees from the municipal treasury.
SCM also added that they have been consistently raising the issue of discrimination in the levy of sanitation fees. While only the assessed premises are subjected to the high charges, the unassessed premises and actual waste generators are enjoying free services.
“A survey on a pilot basis was conducted by engaging a ‘favorite’ agency to survey the various types of premises in ward no 14. Lakhs of rupees were spent on this survey, but neither the Council acted upon the findings of the survey, nor other wards were surveyed so as to get all the premises under the tax net”, Coutinho rues.
SCM further spoke about alleged discrepancies when it came to trade licenses.
“As far as the former Chairperson Babita’s conduct is concerned, we wish to remind her that she has been the only Chairperson of MMC to date who has attended/participated in a maximum number of study tours/outstation visits. The most interesting visit of the Chairperson being the visit to Mumbai’s Crawford market to study something called ‘Banner Policy’. And while she boasted about a ban on banners/hoardings, the Chairperson failed to collect fees from Councillors who erected banners/hoardings during festivals. What’s even more interesting about the Crawford market visit is that the Council has displayed extra generosity by paying for 3 flight tickets instead of 2,” said SCM.
“Several councilors were heard shouting their gut out, alleging that the Shadow Council was filing false complaints and blocking their development works. The Lokayukta report has vindicated our stand over fraud in the tender process. We are awaiting the ACB inquiry report, by which we shall demand the recovery of all legal and other expenses incurred in this matter,” said Savio, while adding that they have filed more RTIs as well.
