Unlike Delhi AAP Government, which is attempting at providing 70 services at citizens’ doorsteps, Goa has been haunted by poor governance, if what we had so far, can at all be called governance. Not even by the lowest standards, can governments, past or present, claim credit for a clean and efficient administration. While instability and defections were surely a hurdle to good and effective governance, governments with clear majority, like that of Parrikar, in 2012, also failed. His earlier administration was far better. He had ensured some discipline among govt servants, which he did not bother to do later. With the impending fear of losing the chair, many CMs accommodated individuals in ‘milking cow’ Ministries, made compromises and allowed misdeeds.
However, one cannot also overlook that Goans, who prided, at one time, on their honesty and character, have shunned these attributes and elected unworthy individuals, not always for want of a better choice, as it sometimes happens, but mainly for their personal interests to be served. Eventually, we are partly responsible for not having even a semblance of good administration with the type of worthless stuff, who, at the slightest sight of some bundles of notes, do not hesitate to betray their people and their own ideology.
Some months back, during the campaign for Panjim by-election, the present CM had questioned the integrity of one of the candidates and wondered whether there was any section of Cr PC that was not applicable to him. He was not totally wrong. But, his sins and those of many others who had skeletons in the cupboards, were washed away once they joined the ruling party. May I ask the CM what is it that his Government can take pride in?
Is it the roads which claim for mercy? Frankly, I have never seen them worse. And, in these columns, I have often praised Goa roads for being perhaps the best any State can boast of. Granted, we had heavy rains this year. But are our roads supposed to last only for one monsoon or not even that much? Or is it that tenders are necessary every year so that cuts are also annual?
Roads in Margao are a sight to behold! They need to be displayed in tourism leaflets with a statutory warning: “Drive at your own risk. No guarantee to return home safe or without broken bones…” This government, after promising road repairs and proper street lighting before Ganesh Chaturthi, failed to keep the promise. It was a shameful sight during such an important festival. Not only roads around Municipal Garden in Margao, but also part of Padre Miranda Road and many other important roads have developed deep and large potholes. Even the newly tarred stretch from Ravindra Bhavan to Arlem Circle has potholes and was dug, in few places, despite being described as “iconic” by one Margao Councillor. He was echoing His Master’s Voice by proposing it to be named after Manohar Parrikar, who did nothing for Margao, solely to spite the CM, who is on a belittling spree of those close to his predecessor or could it be those belonging to a particular so called caste?
The condition of Margao and other roads and the collapse of two retaining walls, in Khandepar and Canacona are monumental cases of corruption, which demand thorough investigations. But, can we expect any into these and other real estate and zone conversion scams or are they cases of “you scratch my back, I scratch yours?” Why does the govt fool us with loud pronouncements of zero tolerance to corruption when we know fully well that it can do nothing with the kind of people it has embraced?
Regular and prolonged power cuts dampened the spirits of thousands Hindus celebrating Chaturthi. Several street fixtures do not function for weeks and even those repaired go off, after few days, thus proving that the outsourcing company has perhaps strong bearings.
Old Goa, which attracts thousands of tourists, has badly lit roads that even Goans, familiar with the place, find it difficult to take the correct route. Even the Zuari bridge construction site is poorly lit and badly tarred, surely because no one dares dictate the contractor who has strong connections.
Another unique happening, again never heard of, was the absence of water in Panjim for a week and for over that in Ponda. What a shame both for the Govt. and the residents of the capital of a State to be deprived of water for so long! And the worst is that the consumers, like the road and power users, feel helpless in an environment which is brazenly arrogant and intolerant.
Declaration of Goa as ODF was another farce to meet the deadline and oblige the Centre. Social and print media are replete with reports of areas which never saw toilets and of people relieving by the sea side. And this, in a State which 50 years back was surely the cleanest of all. The Government and Municipalities are still unable to manage their garbage and Goa is turning filthier by the day, with stray cattle and dogs dirtying it further, with footpaths and walking tracks full of dung.
The only saving grace for this Government seems to be the recent decision to refer vacancies in Group C category to Staff Selection Commission, which is yet to be appointed and which will hopefully be done with impartiality and transparency and its functioning too similarly with no scope for nepotism and influence. We are all aware how recruitments were done in the past and which Ministers employed people from their constituencies, particularly in GMC & PWD. This needs to stop and merit alone must count. But can that happen in this country and in this State? Pramod Sawant needs to prove he is different.
(The author is a retired banker)
