CANACONA, AUG 21
The municipal streets of Canacona are regularly in darkness after dusk prompting the deputy chairperson to accuse the administration for failing to illuminate the streetlights.
Canacona Municipal Council Deputy Chairman and Chaudi ward Councillor Dilip Kenkre has blamed the civic administration of unattending to many non-working streetlights even though electrical appliances worth Rs 4 lakh had been purchased recently.
In Chaudi, the commercial hub of Canacona town, several streetlights which have gone faulty due to heavy rains and other factors and are yet to by replaced, putting several localities into darkness after dusk.
“Due to the fast approaching festive season, we have recently purchased 1000 tubelights, 150 tube light fixtures and most other electrical gadgets all worth Rs 4 lakh, to replace the non-working street lights and to illuminate more areas,” said Kenkre.
“But in the leave absence of the CMC chief officer during this week, the accountant apparently running the administration, is not cooperating and refuses to release the purchased stock for the respective areas.”
“How do we explain this to the citizens, who are facing acute difficulties due to the absence of illumination even in main town areas? As usual, the accountant refuses to hand over the fixtures, tubes or other required material either to the councilors or to the two linesmen, even for replacing the non-working gadgets,” Kenkre complained.
Incidentally, the electricity department has deputed two linesmen exclusively for the municipality, but they are unable to cater to the entire area, claimed civic sources.
“Once these linesmen are engaged at one location, other areas remains unattended for a full day,” the sources said.
