Staff Reporter
Panaji
Days after two officers were appointed to the same crucial position of Chief Town Planner (Planning) in the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, the government on Thursday issued a fresh order to clarify the situation.
In the order issued by the Personnel Department, Senior Town Planner R K Pandita has been appointed as Chief Town Planner (Land Use). He will also serve as the head of the TCP Department with immediate effect, in addition to his existing responsibilities, until further notice.
The same order also states that Senior Town Planner Vertika Dagur will hold additional charge as Chief Town Planner (Admin) and Chief Town Planner (Planning), with immediate effect and until further orders.
The order was issued by Under Secretary Durga Kinlekar on the instructions of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The position of Chief Town Planner (Planning) became vacant on April 30 following the suspension of Rajesh Naik, who was on an extended tenure and was suspended on the final day of his extension.
On May 5, the Personnel Department appointed R K Pandita as Chief Town Planner (Planning), but a day later, Deputy Director (Administration) Nadia Ashraf Ali Shekoli issued a separate order appointing Vertika Dagur to
the same post.
The conflicting appointments were seen as a silent face-off between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane. With the bifurcation of the post based on functional roles, the matter appears to have been
resolved for now.
