SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The citizens of Panjim have now pinned their hopes on the High Court Judges for relief following the inspection the ongoing Smart City works.
Adv Abhijit Gosavi representing the two petitioners told O Heraldo that the High Court has held that safe and good roads and pollution-free air and water are fundamental rights of the people as per the Constitution. These rights were violated for last two years and the citizens were facing extreme air pollution due to digging of roads in haphazard manner across the capital city. The High Court rightly stepped in to protect the fundamental rights of the people.
Michael Rodrigues, general secretary of the dust-hit Kamat Plaza Co-operative Housing Society said, “We are the worst affected. For last two months we are suffering due to dust pollution. We were hoping that High Court Judges would inspect our area but anyway they saw amount of dust pollution caused due to road excavation works.”
One of the petitioners Sadanand Vaingankar said, “It was a good initiative by the High Court Judges. Prior to Judges' visit, the officials of Goa State Pollution Control (GSPCB) were reluctant to station ambient air quality monitoring vans in the city though they later agreed to station it near Caculo Mall at St Inez. We hope that High Court will issue some directives to curb dust pollution.”
Madan Bugde, a businessman from St Inez too welcomed the inspection of works by High Court Judges. “It was good initiative by Judges. They realised that residents and business establishments are struggling and facing dust pollution. The contractor and Smart City officials are sprinkling roads but what about our shops which have turned into red-brown colour?”
Deepak Korgaonkar from St Inez said, “We are suffering for last two months.”
Deepak said, “There is no proper planning and works are not undertaken in a phased manner. At many places works are incomplete and it is causing dust pollution.”
Linette Marchon from St Inez said, “The works are not undertaken in a phased manner. By digging roads everywhere it is becoming difficult to step out of our homes. I don’t know which side to go to Panjim market. With Judges’ inspection, I hope that works will be completed as fast as possible that too before onset of monsoon.”
Rui Fereira of Panjim said, “'The main issue is economic inequity. There should be equality of income. There should be equal opportunity. Migrant beggars are gathering in Panjim. There are migrant hawkers also. People from other States are coming and growing. There is a menace because of the casinos. The floating casinos are causing a huge burden on infrastructure.
