CDP: NGO drags MMC to Consumer Forum
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JULY 9
Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation’s City Development Plan has run into further trouble.
City-based Women’s NGO, Bailancho Ekvott has dragged the Margao Municipal Council to the Consumer Forum for deficiency in service due to its failure to keep open the CDP for public inspection.
In the complaint filed by the Forum President, Auda Viegas, she pointed out that the MMC had promised to keep the CDP for public scrutiny for 15 days, but the same was not provided to the people on grounds that it was a bulky document.
Taking the premise that by paying taxes, citizens are consumers of the facilities the Municipality is duty bound to provide, the Bailancho Ekvott has knocked the doors of the Consumer Forum.
Admitting the complaint, the Forum has issued show cause notice to the Civic body to file its reply to the contentions raised by the women’s NGO.
Viegas said the NGO has prayed to the Consumer Forum to direct the Civic body to grant reasonable time of atleast one month for the perusal of the CDP for the complainant and other consumers, besides NGOs in the larger interest of their case.
The NGO has further prayed that the Forum pass an interim order restraining the Civic body from acting in any manner in furtherance of their intention to deny the public access to the CDP and to request the Civic body to make the CDP freely available for public access in the office of the Municipal Assistant Engineer. The Forum prayed that the Civic body be direct to cancel the period of 15 days being unreasonable.
The Bailancho Ekvott had earlier dragged the Council to the Consumer Forum with regard to the open space opposite the District Court which had turned into a garbage dump yard.
