YATIN “PAREKH” THE NEW CCP MAYOR: WITH BLESSINGS OF MONSERRATE

PANJIM: The former deputy mayor of Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP), Mr Yatin Parekh, was elected to the post of Mayor while Mr Rudresh Chodankar was elected deputy Mayor for a term of one year Tuesday morning in the presence of the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate.

Mr Parekh of the Atanasio Monserrate panel polled 16 votes while Ms Vaidehi Naik of the Panjim First panel, who had filed her nomination, polled 12 votes. The election was conducted by the Commissioner of the Corporation of City of Panjim, Mr Elvis Gomes by raising of the hands as is the usual practice. Mr Surendra Furtado and Ms Ruth Furtado abstained from voting.

The Education Minister, Mr Monserrate, who was present during the election, congratulated the Mayor with a bouquet of flowers. The council then reassembled and committees were formed - Public Works Committee, Public Health and Market Committee and Women and Child Committee.

The Mayor then addressed the council and called upon the citizens of Panjim to join hands for development of the capital city. He said as the Mayor of the CCP, it would be his endeavour to take all the people of Panjim along and ensure that the city gets clean and non-corrupt. He also sought cooperation of the elected councillors in his task and thanked the people and colleagues for giving him an opportunity to serve the people of Panjim.

While releasing the 12-point programme as Mayor of the city, Mr Yatin Parekh said hot mixing of city roads would be taken up and that the parking problem would be solved. Through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission projects including St Inez nullah, cleanliness of city market, construction of third phase of market, development of crematoriums for all religious groups would also be taken up, he said.

He further said that public opinions for the development of the city would be welcomed and added that a complaint/suggestion box would be kept outside his chamber. Maha Sabhas would be held on the lines of gram sabha once in three months to facilitate involvement of the people in development of the city. Replying to the queries, Mr Parekh said three places have been identified for construction of multi-storeyed parking lots in the city, namely, the government garage, Cine National and government godowns.