Pernem: The Pernem police who are supposed to secure the lives of the people are themselves living in insecure conditions.
The residential government quarters behind Pernem police station meant for staff and their families are in a dilapidated state, according to the locals.
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There are no doors to the quarters, no curtains on the windows, leakage in the roof, piles of garbage accumulated all over and wild bushes grown around the buildings. Stray dogs and cats have made these rooms their home.
The sordid state of these buildings pose a grave danger to families of 2 police personnel who reside here and so, the locals have demanded for the government to urgently take steps to repair them. Locals have accused the government of spending crores of rupees on projects termed as development which has no actual benefits to the citizens. They have appealed to the government to rather spend those funds on the maintenance of structures such as government quarters.
There are 8 buildings which house 6 to 8 quarters and the rent goes up to Rs 6,000. The children of two families who are still occupying their allotted quarters have to make their way in and out from the overtly grown wild bushes.
“Looking at the state of these buildings, these quarters will not last with mere repairs. Instead, the government should rebuild it as a multi-purpose project which could house offices, shops, mini hall as well as residential quarters,” said one of the locals.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had visited Pernem deputy collector office and directed to shift government quarters into some of the government offices in administrative buildings for the time being. However, the staff at the administrative block themselves work in cramped offices and it looks like the problem cannot be resolved until the expansion of the new complex.
Locals also questioned the quality of materials used in building government structures which wear out within a year or two. They alleged that substandard material is used intentionally so that the contractors get tenders to repair frequently.
