The fall out of the recent municipal elections is that a divided Municipal Council body is too busy fighting amongst themselves. While a major bone of contention is the demand for shifting of a cattle pound to make way for a joggers track cum children’s park, the cold war has affected decisions like collection of garbage tax or large scale projects being pursued by the council or the MLA of Cuncolim, which is in turn hindering the development of the town.
It is no secret that the MLA has not managed to evoke great cooperation from the council given that the previous council was backed by the Congress but the situation has turned to the worst with the new council where every decision attracts controversy.
The current controversy surrounds the demands for shifting a cattle pound at Maddicotto and the ongoing construction of the alternative site for the cattle pound at the site of the garbage treatment plant run by the CMC that is located at the industrial estate.
It is to be noted that work on the walking track at Maddicotto has started. MLA Naik with the help of CMC officers started the procedure to shift the pound to the garbage treatment site. The Ruling group stopped the project and did not agree to give permission to shift the pound claiming it was an illegal act. The MLA in turn has accused the council of bringing dirty politics into development and that the previous council had adopted a resolution to shift the pound which would benefit everyone and that there is nothing illegal about it.
However, residents have raised several questions about the ongoing construction work of the cattle pound and have questioned how this work can be taken up on land that was acquired for a garbage treatment plant. They have also questioned the role of an elected representative supervising work at the CMC run garbage treatment plant.
While this tussle has left that project in a state of limbo, the other projects that have similarly been left at an incomplete stage include the multi-floor commercial project at Cuncolim Bazaar, renovation of the CMC building, multipurpose project at Taleabhat, the health club and Gymkhana at Maddicotto, hot mixing of roads and the chieftain memorial project. The ruling council group have also criticised the MLA saying that they do not get any cooperation and gave the example of how the demand for more streetlights is not being taken up. On the other hand, MLA Rajan Naik wanted to develop Mahanand Lake, like Mayem Lake as a tourism project.
He proposed the project of beautification of Nayaband under the MPLAD Scheme. South Goa MP, Narendra Sawaikar promised Naik to develop Nayaband but the project has been blocked for the last few months as the council has not given the required resolution to sanction the project.
The latest point of debate has been over the Cuncolim chairperson, Lavita Mascarenhas’ view that domestic garbage tax should be dropped and that funds with the council can be used to take up the same but the MLA has objected and pointed out that this will hamper door to door garbage collection operations and lead to problems of generation of revenue to fund the garbage management of the city.
Cuncolim residents fear that no stone will move ahead if both MLA and Members of the ruling council don’t bury their differences and that the city’s priorities will continue to be put on the back burner till their issues subside.
