Margao, Jul 31 (TOI): The occurrence of frequent disappearance of some files has come back to haunt the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) with the chairperson of the civic body, Arthur D'Silva being saddled with complaints by contractors about their files going missing from the municipality. This, despite the file tracking system software being used to track the movement of the files in the MMC.

D'Silva, speaking to TOI, blamed the "inefficient and irresponsible staff" for the missing files. On Wednesday, D'Silva summoned some of the clerks concerned from various departments seeking an explanation over the sudden disappearance of a file, after a contractor complained of payments being held up owing to the missing file. The file was finally traced on Thursday.

Nearly two years ago, a similar controversy had arisen after some of the "missing files" were traced to the home of one civic employee who had taken them home ostensibly to clear the backlog of files but failed to return them, long after his retirement from service. It was then discovered that the practice of taking files home without maintaining any records of their movement was rampant in the civic body.

The issue of missing files is often the subject of fiery debate in the council meetings. In several council meetings in the past, councillors have complained how some files pertaining to quotations received from contractors have gone missing from the desks of the dealing hands. Councillors have pointed out that disappearance of important files invariably puts spokes in the wheels of development in the MMC.