MARGAO: The recent missing sopo file from the Margao Municipal Council has led to a heated war of words between the Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar and Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar. In conversation with O Heraldo, Chief Officer informed that as per the records of file management system (FMS), the last time file had gone to the Chairperson, however, refuting the claims Chairperson claimed that he got all the necessary evidences to show that the said file was returned back to the concerned section from his table.
It is pertinent to note that the issue of files going missing is not new to the Margao Municipality. In the past too, there were similar incidents reported in the civic body, but no serious thought was given in order to prevent the same in the future.
However, now the issue of CCTV surveillance too has come to discussion, with the sopo file going missing.
The CO said that the file pertaining to the sopo was found to be missing when he initiated a process to tender the sopo collection.
“File Management System is being maintained in the office and as per the system the last time a file was handled by the Chairperson. Now, we need to find out where the file has gone and how it is gone,” he informed.
The CO further said that the sopo file is missing since March and he has taken the charge in the month of July.
Responding to the issue of missing files, Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar said that what is shown in the records is half truth.
“Yes, being a Chairperson I have full right to check or go through the files and the sopo file was seen by me. But, it was returned back immediately and I have evidence to prove my claims,” he stated.
Mahesh Amonkar, Councillor said that the file should have been on the table of the Chairperson as per the records shown in the file management system or claimed by the CO.
“I have been told that the Chairperson had seen the file long back. File should have been with the concerned section. Now it is upto the Chief Officer to search the file,” he stated. Earlier, in 2021 too similar incident was reported in the MMC wherein a file pertaining to Sonsodo had gone missing from the office. Later, when a group of councillors initiated the search operations, few of the missing files were found with one of the engineers.
In the matter of the Sonsodo file, then Municipal Engineer Diniz De Melo had alleged that the files went missing from the chief officer’s cabin and the chief officer refuted these charges.
Before that, in 2015 the file pertaining to the illegal construction case involving then Margao Municipal Chairperson Gonzaco Rebello had gone missing from the civic body.
