TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: What was feared has come true! Citizens and staff alike have complained of inconvenience as signages are yet to fall in place, while there’s no help desk to guide beleaguered citizens to move around the massive district Collectorate building inaugurated with much fan fare on February 28 at the hands of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Collectorate staff and officers also complained of dust pollution both inside and outside the Collectorate and wondered why the government had to rush with the shifting when things are yet to fall in place in all respects.
Complaints were galore from citizens that there was no one around to help and guide them to approach the departments ~ be it the office of the Mamlatdar and Jt Mamlatdars, Deputy Collector, Collector or the Additional Collectors.
There was uproar when an agitated citizen created a ruckus over the state of affairs, while demanding stability in the services.
When Herald sought to know from the district Collector N D Agrawal why signages have not been erected in the building, he laid the blame on the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) for the delay in supplying the same. “As per understanding, the GSIDC was supposed to make available the signages to help citizens approach the departments without much difficulty,” Agrawal said. He, however, pointed out that the two help desks will be in place at both the entrance and exit points of the building to help citizens and answer their queries from Tuesday.
Incidentally, when this reporter visited the Collectorate building, he saw that the conference room had been converted into an office. Inquiries with the Collector revealed that the room was playing host to the magisterial section of the District Collectorate since the furniture of this section is not ready. Collectorate staff rued that the open space outside meant for parking is not tarred as yet, creating dust pollution. “Thing will fall in place step by step. We will resolve all problems one by one. Problems are bound to crop up in a massive building like this. We have made a beginning and things will be sorted out in due course of time,” remarked Agrawal.
Meanwhile, information was received by this office that a fire tender was unloading thousands of liters of water in the Collectorate tank late on Monday. This is the second time that a fire tender was requisitioned to supply water to the new building.
Though the Chief Minister had inaugurated the building on February 28, he has set May 30 as the deadline for the District Collector to complete the shifting in all respects.
