PANAJI: The issue of pay parking in Panaji has resulted into the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor Uday Madkaikar and former Panaji MLA Sidharth Kuncalienkar locking horns against each other.
While Kuncalienkar has claimed pay parking as ‘scam’, Madkaikar has stated that Kuncalienkar was trying to mislead the people of Panaji by posting the pay parking notification only without the corrigendum issued. Taking to twitter, Kuncalienkar said, “After burning waste treatment plant for petty gains, CCP collects Rs 20 per hour instead of notified Rs 20 for first four hours. Would love to know whose pocket remaining three hours illegally collected fee going to go? Will Panaji citizens just suffer?” In response to the tweet, Madkaikar took to Facebook and posted the notification as well as the corrigendum pertaining to pay parking and said, “These are the correct rates as per the notification by DM (District Magistrate). Some people including Ex-MLA of Panaji are posting earlier notification. Residents of pay parking area should not worry as the contractor has already been told not to charge them till final verification of house tax receipt is done.”
In another tweet, Kuncaliekar said, “The stench at the entrance of our Panaji is a gift, incumbent mayor of CCP has gifted us. I am sure incoming mayor who is the resident of the vicinity of the deliberately burnt waste treatment plant and is directly affected by the stench, will give respite to us.”
When asked to comment on his tweet, Kuncalienkar said, “As per my information, they wanted to get some private security agency. Presently there is a government security agency who is looking after the waste treatment plant. To throw it out, they will have to prove that the government security is incompetent.”
“Now it is stench as the whole plant has been stopped. It is no longer working. As per my information, this has been done for very petty reasons. Just to change the security, they have destroyed the entire plant,” he said.
When asked about who he was referring to as ‘they’ he said, “I cannot divulge everything. That is why I have asked for investigation. If somebody investigates, they will come to know.”
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the allegation that the garbage treatment plant was deliberately burnt, Madkaikar said, “He was an ex-MLA and also holding various posts. Before making any allegations he should have some proof. Only then he has the right to make allegations.” “He is frustrated because people have sent him home. People are asking where the crores of money received under Smart City. But he had no answer. First he should reply to the people of Panaji why Rs 2.5 crores were spent on a public toilet. Whether he has put taps made of gold.”
“Let him reply to this first, then I will tell about the waste treatment plant,” said Madkaikar.
“He is frustrated because people have sent him home. People are asking where the crores of money received under Smart City. But he had no answer. First he should reply to the people of Panaji why Rs 2.5 crores were spent on a public toilet. Whether he has put taps made of gold.” Uday Madkaikar, CCP Mayor
“After burning waste treatment plant for petty gains, CCP collects Rs 20 per hour instead of notified Rs 20 for first four hours. Would love to know whose pocket remaining three hours illegally collected fee going to go? Will Panaji citizens just suffer?” Sidharth Kuncalienkar, Former Panaji MLA