Congress leader and Shadow Council for Margao Convener, Savio Coutinho, made serious allegations against Margao MLA Digamber Kamat, accusing his staff of illegally removing hundreds of files from the Council building. Displaying video footage as evidence, Coutinho expressed concern over the disappearance of files and called on the government and the Urban Development Ministry to address the issue.
According to Coutinho, the entry records indicate the submission of 192 files, but only a hundred are currently housed in the Council building. He urged the Chief Officer to explain the discrepancy and questioned the legality of allowing files to be taken outside by individuals who are not the applicants themselves.
Accompanied by several prominent figures including Adv. Snehal Onskar, Arch. Carlos Gracias, Lalan Parsekar, Maria do Carmo, Camilo Camara, and Sujata Parsekar, Coutinho also criticized the selective assessment of illegal houses by the Council. He demanded a comprehensive assessment of houses across the entire Municipal area, citing a government circular dated 16th July 2022.
Taking a swipe at Margao MLA Digamber Kamat, who recently defected to the BJP, Coutinho suggested that the house tax assessment was a move to shore up support. He questioned whether Kamat had informed homeowners that their house numbers might be classified as "Illegal."
Furthermore, Coutinho accused Chief Officer Gourish Sankwalkar of arbitrarily charging only one year of house tax and sanitation fees, despite a circular specifying recovery from February 2018. Warning of potential losses to the Municipal treasury, Coutinho demanded action against Sankwalkar, accusing him of favoring political interests over the Council's financial well-being.
"The Chief Officer is learnt to have given instructions that the 192 houses from Monti Dongor should be charged only 1 year's tax and sanitation fees," Coutinho asserted, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in the Municipal Council's financial matters.
In conclusion, Coutinho called for an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of files and urged authorities to ensure fair and legal practices in the assessment of house taxes, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the Municipal Council's fiscal integrity.