Team Herald
PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Friday decided to appoint empanelled consultants to carry out development and beautification of the capital city ahead of G20 Summit scheduled in April this year.
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During the CCP meeting, Mayor Rohit Monserrate said that delegates from almost 56 countries will visit the capital city to participate in the G20 Summit as eight meetings are fixed in the State.
He told councillors that the Corporation has been asked to accord top priority to development works and beautification of the city and to complete all the ongoing works by March 31, this year.
Monserrate said that the Corporation may be allowed to engage consultants appointed by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) since it was not possible to float tenders to empanel and appoint consultants due to time constraint.
He said consultants are required to take up surveying, planning, designing, preparation of estimates and execution of major works.
However, Councillor Surendra Furtado took objection to the appointment of consultants and architects when the CCP had appointed several consultants. Instead, he suggested that the CCP should avail the services of retired town planners for proper planning and development of the city.
Furtado alleged that the works by Smart City Mission are undertaken only in four wards and it was disaster.
He alleged that the CCP had waived revenue of Rs 42 lakh from Heritage festival and Rs 40 lakh from Serendipity Arts festival held a few months ago. These matters were not brought before the CCP meeting nor the Standing Committee, he said adding that he will write to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) so that the CCP recover its revenues.
