On March 16, Herald/HCN took up the initiative and brought citizens, experts and MMC Chief Deepak Naik on a single platform to ensure that a majority of the issues plaguing the port town of Vasco could be discussed and possible solutions, which Mormugao Municipal Council could work upon, found. After a three-hour debate, citizens and panelists prepared a 12-point Vasco Declaration and assurance extracted from Naik, that he and his councillors would initiate steps in taking all the issues to their logical conclusion.
The debate was conducted by Sujay Gupta, Group Editor. The panelists included Mormugao Municipal Chief Deepak Naik, Alka Damle, Environmentalist and social worker Vasco, Jennifer Luis Kamat, Savio Messias, Fr Gabriel Coutinho, Parish Priest of St Andrew’s Church. Vasco, Francisco Nunes among others.
Three months later many promises remained unfulfilled. Though Naik has made efforts to take up a few of them, results are yet to be seen. As a responsible paper, Herald highlights the promises made and their current status hoping the assurances become a reality.
Here are a few issues raised that day that brought out the inefficiency of Mormugao Municipal Council in dealing with illegalities, lack of vision, failure in coordination between council and State government and central government agencies.
This week we highlight what had been promised 106 days ago.
Promise: MMC needs to create a Master Plan between PWD, Transport Department, and PDA
Status: Not completed
Promise: Bring MPT, Navy and corporates in Vasco on board to coordinate development in the city
Status: Partially completed (MMC already approached parties individually, response awaited)
Promise: Vasco citizens led by MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik to stop coal transportation if GSPCB fails to take action by April end
Status: Not completed
Promise: MMC to sort and collect garbage more effectively, medical waste treated separately, fines levied on people who don’t segregate and dump in the open. Resolution for fines at next municipal council meeting
Status: Partially completed
Promise: Monthly meetings of Municipal Garbage Committee with Vasco citizens and hospitals
Status: Not completed (under planning stage)
Promise: Councilors, NGOs should go house to house to ensure people segregate garbage and create awareness.
Status: Partly completed
Promise: Municipality should provide workers proper collection bins and not send them with sacks and bags while proper training to workers on how to deal with garbage needs to be imparted
Status: Partly completed
Promise: MMC needs to create Solid Waste Management Plan
Status: Nearing completion (work order for removal of dumped garbage given, work to start after monsoon)
Promise: All stilt parking violations especially those converted to shops by existing buildings need to be looked into, PDA should send legal notice:
Status: Not completed
Promise: Third parallel road near Khareawadda jetty to be utilised to ease traffic
Status: Not completed
Promise: Multi-storied parking to be built in Vasco. MMC to push decision by May 15
Status: Not completed (planning stage, revised plan submitted)
Promise: Ban bauxite and coal carrying vehicles from entering town
Status: Not completed
