CM might concede to Dhavlikar’s tantrums on suspended PWD Engineers case

In a disappointing development over the issue of suspension of the three Public Works Department (PWD) engineers in connection to the suicide of a contractor, GoaChronicle.com has learnt through informed sources in the government that the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar might reconsider the order of suspension and instead only transfer the engineers on account of the collective pressure put through the PWD Ministers and other political lobbies who are keen not to create a rift in the BJP-MGP alliance.

After the receipt of the A S Rane report on the suicide of the PWD contractor, the CM ordered the suspension of three PWD engineers as the report indicated that the government servants were indulging in kickbacks for PWD contracts, which was also established as the reason for the suicide of the PWD contractor. However, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar opposed the decision of the CM stating that two of the PWD engineers were honest and would not indulge in any corrupt practice. This led to a friction between the BJP-MGP alliance, which has still not settled down.

The stand of the MGP has put the BJP government in a tricky situation, because if the CM is to reconsider his order of suspension and only transfer the PWD engineers, it will raise serious questions on the efforts of the ‘Zero Corrruption’ CM to keep any of the ministers or government employees in check; and if the CM goes ahead with the suspension order, he stands to cause a serious rift in the MGP alliance.