MMCs clean Margao still a distant dream
BY HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, OCT 28 Just three days to go for the present Margao Municipal Council to complete its two years, but the Civic body has nothing much to boast about. Avowed plans to make the City clean and garbage-free has remained a distant dream as the ground reality speaks otherwise. The Civic body had four Chairpersons and as many Chief Officers in the last two years, but that hardly helped to realise the dream of a clean and litter-free Margao or streamline the civic amenities. Despite tall talks of setting up Goas first garbage treatment plant at Sonsodo at a cost of Rs 7.84 crore, the dumpyard is stinking for want of any plant and machinery. The much-hyped pilot project - Citizens Facilitation Centre - is still in doldrums,despite investment to the tune of Rs 60-odd lakh. The Rs 18-lakh sweeping machine - handed over to the Civic body by SUDA to sweep city roads - is corroding at MMCs Old Market garage. The less said about stray dogs and cattle is better. The population of strays is fast rising in the city, but the Civic body has not adopted any pro-active measures to contain the menace. Though the Civic body recently initiated measures to boost up recoveries of outstanding arrears, running over Rs three crore, theres no concrete plan to mop up additional revenue by way of house tax, trade licence and advertising fees. Its status as the state Commercial Capital notwithstanding, business establishments registered with the Civic body are less than in Panjim and other towns, indicating that thousands of shops and establishments are operating illegally. Theres no respite from the overflowing soakpits in most parts of the city, as Margaos ambitious sewerage scheme is yet to cover the entire city till date. And, despite the bumper-to-bumper traffic witnessed in the city and acute parking,neither the Civic body nor the government has stepped to address these problems. That the Civic body is plagued by musical-chair games is evident by the fact that it had as many as four Chairpersons in the last two years. Incumbent Chairperson Johnson Fernandes is not stable either, surviving on the BJP group. Admitted former Chairperson, Savio Coutinho: This Council has not been able to deliver the goods. Not even 25 per cent expectations of the people has been achieved in the last two years. http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=3524&cid=26 Sanny de Quepem <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
