Escrivaos who were asked to hold additional charge via an order dated Aug 31 have not reported to work
MARGAO
The functioning of the Margao and Aquem Comunidades has come to a virtual standstill for a different reason, even as reports are pouring in of illegal constructions on the Aquem and other Comunidade land.
While the incumbent escrivao had been on leave, first after his area of residence in the Port Town was declared as a containment zone and later on he met with an accident, the order issued by the Administrator of Comunidades, South Vishal Kundaikar to escrivaos to hold additional charge of the Comunidades of Margao, Aquem, Telaulim and Verna has not changed the ground reality.
In fact, the South Goa Comunidade Administrator’s order dated August 31 had raised hopes that things would return to normal in the Comunidade offices of Margao, Aquem and Telaulim, which are coincidentally housed in the Margao Comunidade office building at Old Market.
Sadly, the Comunidade Administrator’s order has been lying in the record books with components of the Margao and Aquem Comunidades claiming that none of the escrivaos whose names find mention in the order dated August 31 have joined duties.
That’s not all. Attorney of Aquem Comunidade, Celestin Noronha, claimed that since the time the escrivao, who was holding charge of Margao, Aquem, Telaulim and Verna Comunidades failed to report to office on one reason or other, the office of the Margao Comunidade has been lying closed.
“It is a strange situation when the functioning of the Margao and Aquem Comunidades has come to a standstill just because the escrivao has not reported for office. This has come at a time when the Comunidade of Aquem has received reports that a number of illegal structures have started coming up in and around the Moti Dongor area,” Celestin said.
He claimed that the Comunidade has received information that ‘katcha’ houses are replaced with ‘pucca’ ones in and around Moti Dongor. “The Comunidade is helpless since the escrivao has not been reporting to work and the order issued to escrivaos to hold additional charge of the Margao and Aquem Comunidades remains on paper,” Celestin said, adding “this only goes to show the government’s indifference towards the Comunidades.”
Celestin demanded to know how can the government or the Comunidade Administrator justify the non-implementation of an order to escrivaos to hold additional charge of Margao and Aquem Comunidades for nearly a month and a half now.
When The Goan contacted South Goa Comunidade Administrator, Vishal Kundaikar, he said though his office had issued an order to the escrivaos to hold additional charge at Margao, Aquem, Telaulim and Verna, they have not reported to work.
“No doubt, the escrivao, who could not attend office, first because of the containment zone and later due to an accident, had sent the office keys, but those who were ordered to hold additional charge, have raised legal questions whether they can take the charge in the absence of the regular escrivao,” he said.
Kundaikar, however, pointed out that the escrivaos, who were asked to hold additional charge, have started processing the latest correspondence of the Comunidade bodies, a claim hotly contested by the Aquem Comunidade Attorney Celestin Noronha.
