24 Nov 2022  |   06:23am IST

Slippery footpaths, unwanted showers: Panjim no longer pedestrians’ paradise due to leaky ACs

The poorly-maintained and planned out air-conditioning units in government offices not only ruin the aesthetics of the city, but also violate citizens’ rights to safe, obstacle-free walkways
Slippery footpaths, unwanted showers: Panjim no longer pedestrians’ paradise due to leaky ACs

Team Herald


PANJIM: The streets and footpaths of the State capital are full of obstacles for pedestrians, who are often showered with water from air-conditioners installed in government offices, banks and private buildings while walking on the footpaths.

A fortnight ago, Goa Civic and Action Network (GOACAN) volunteers had launched an umbrella protest against AC water being showered on pedestrians in the city.

GOACAN coordinator Roland Martins said that during the protest he asked the manager of a bank in Panjim to come out of his cabin and showed him the water falling from the air-conditioner onto the footpath, and also a pipe laid across the footpath to release this water.  

He said that footpaths become slippery and get worn out by the constantly falling water, posing a safety hazard.

Martins said that he had brought the problem to the notice of the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) Commissioner Agnelo Fernandes but till date no action has been taken against it. He said that he had requested the CCP commissioner to ensure that the footpaths in the city are kept clean.

“We have already brought this problem to the notice of CCP commissioner.  We had also staged a unique umbrella protest in the city. We will wait until this month-end and then chalk out our next plan of action,” Martins said. 

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar