Birch fire probe: Arpora sarpanch disqualified, panchayat secretary dismissed

Panaji: The directorate of panchayat on Wednesday disqualified Roshan Redkar as the sarpanch of Arpora–Nagoa panchayat and disallowed him from being elected or holding any post in a panchayat for a period of five years. The directorate also dismissed panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar from service. Both were found to have committed grave lapses that led to irregularities causing the death of 25 persons in the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub fire in Arpora.Panchayats director of Mahadev Araundekar, in his order, said that despite ample opportunity for demolition, the sarpanch and the secretary did not carry out the demolition of the nightclub. He said that before the magisterial inquiry, both Redkar and Bagkar gave statements that tried to evade responsibility for the irregularities. Bagkar was also found absconding and evading arrest, Araundekar said.Bagkar “exhibited gross neglect and dereliction of duties, unprofessional approach, doubtful integrity”, violating provisions of civil service rules and the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, Araundekar said in the order. Bagkar’s grave misconduct resulted in the tragic deaths of 25 in the fire, the director said in the order.The order said that sarpanch Redkar also “acted detrimentally to the interest of the panchayat”.“The sarpanch presided over meetings where the irregularities were either ignored or tacitly approved. The failure of the sarpanch is not merely administrative; it is a breach of the public trust that resulted in a catastrophe,” the director said in his order.