PANJIM: Revenue Minister Babush Monserrate on Monday said that he cannot vouch for the quality of Smart City works even as it will be completed by March 31 this year.
Monserrate along with Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited managing director Sanjit Rodrigues and other officials inspected ongoing works at St Inez, Panjim.
Later, he reiterated that all the ongoing works will be completed by May 31 but he cannot give guarantee of quality of works executed by the contractors. “I cannot vouch for it now. That we will have to see afterwards. I am not going to see what is done underneath,” he said.
He further said that the Chief Secretary, who is also chairman of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd has convened a meeting of contractors and other stakeholders on Tuesday, January 16 to review the ongoing works in the capital city and to strategise the work schedule.
“The meeting is called to primarily decide on the time-frame and strategise the works. As far as possible works will be taken up at a stretch,” he said.
The Minister also asserted that all encroachments along the roadside will be removed. He also sought cooperation of the people. “Cooperation of people is very important and we want to do the best for them,” he said.
IPSCDL seeks time to file reply to Human Rights panel
PANJIM: The Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) and the Public Works Department (PWD) on Monday sought time to file their replies to notices issued to them by the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) in connection with the death of 21-year-old youth at Mala-Panjim on New Year day.
The two-member Commission comprising acting Chairperson Judge Desmond D’Costa and Member Judge Pramod Kamat also accepted an intervention application filed by the victim’s father former CCP councillor Rupesh Halankar and he was added as one of the respondents.
Following the death of 21-year-old boy Ayush Halankar, who died after he fell with his two-wheeler in a pit as part of Smart City works at Mala-Panaji, the Commission took suo motu cognisance of the matter and had issued notices to the IPSCDL and the PWD, asking them to file their relies by January 15.
The matter has now been adjourned to February 5.
