Dated: 23 Sept., 2008 A delagation of the Mapusa Nagrikancho Ekvott met the Minister for Public Works today, i.e. 23.9.08, at theSecretariat to discuss with him the issues concerning the City of Mapusa. The below listed requirements were put before the Minister. The Minister after giving a patient hearing to the delagation, summoned to his Office the Executive Engineer for Roads, Executive Engineer for Water Works as well as the respective Assistant Engineers and instructed them to execute the works as detailed in the memorandum presented by the delagation.
The demands: a) All the roads coming under the P.W.D. jurisdiction to be tarred in a manner that there is no accumulation of water on the roads. b) All gutters and culverts to be desilted and appropriately repaired for free flow of water. c) All gutters, some of which are about a meter deep, be covered with concrete slabs to prevent fatal accidents. d) All chambers for control valves of water supply pipelines to be appropriately covered with slabs so that they do not pose risks to pedestrians and vehicles. e) That the Sewerage Scheme drawn-up by JICA be immediately implemented as raw sewage is and has been perenially flowing through the gutters and culverts of the City and finds its way into the big gutter behind the Mapusa Municipal Market, thence to the Mapusa River. This poses grave danger to the health and well being of the residents of Mapusa and is the source of unbearable stench in the Mapusa Municipal Market, it being the 'Tourist' destination. This is a source of shame for Goans and for Goa. f) Some gutters have also been used to lay telecom cables and thereafter these gutters have been closed. Such gutters are to be restored by shifting the telephone cables in order to ensure that they provide proper drainage to the tarred surfaces and to the locality. g) That around the water reservoirs existing near the St. Xavier's College, the P.W.D. campus to be completed and proper drainage provided, as at present, the overflow of water as well as the rain water flows onto the roads causing invoncenience to the public and damage to the asphalted surfaces. The Minister also indicated that the Sewerage Scheme for the Mapusa City prepared under the auspices of the Japanese Government (JICA) will be initiated for its implementation within the next 2 to 3 months. The Minister assured the delegation that all the demands will be met and asked the various Engineers to coordinate with the representatives of the Ekvott. The delegation appreciates the prompt action taken by the Hon. Minister for P.W.D., Mr. Churchill Alemao and thanks him for the same. Sd/- (Adv. Antonio J.B. Lobo) Convenor, Mapusa Nagrikancho Ekvott. C-01, 1st. Floor, Saldanha Business Towers, eira Alta, Mapusa-Goa - Tel: (0832) 2263284
