TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: A group of citizens on Friday launched, ‘Clean Margao, Green Margao’ in the city to tackle the host of isues plaguing the commercial capital.
Initiated by Rajendra Talak and Madgaocars, the group has promised to undertake work in all the 20 municipal wards, including cleanliness, spreading awareness on waste segregation, erecting gantries at all the seven entry points to the city et al. As a first measure, the group will take up work in ward 10 & 11 before making its presence in other wards.
Briefing the media, Talak clarified that Clean Margao, Green Margao is not an NGO nor do they have a bank account. “We will not depend on government funding. The gantries will be erected with funds from the people. We are not allied to any political party nor have we have set our eyes on the coming Municipal election due in November this year,” Talak said, when asked whether the group intends to contest the upcoming Municipal election.
He also clarified that the group does not want to run a parallel system nor is opposed to the city fathers. Talak further said that the group has not taken into confidence the two MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai and the city fathers, saying that people of Margao are free to join the cause in the interest of the city. “We expect each and every Madgaocar to join the cause and bear the expenditure directly for the betterment of the city. The work will be undertaken in all 20 ward of Margao Municipality,” he said.
He said that work on phase I of the campaign has already begun at Borda near Sincro House (totally funded by Sincro family) and this will continue at Comba ward, near Holy Spirit Church, SGPDA. We plan to erect one gantry near the Collectorate building,” he said, adding that the first phase will be inaugurated in February.
Along with making the city green, the group intends to deal with issues of garbage and sanitation by educating on the door-to-door waste collection scheme.
The SGPDA market beautification, parking problems, signal installation at old market circle and other locations will be taken up in due course of time. Adv Rajiv Shinkre, Prasad Shinkre, Girish Kare, Ranjta Kare, Raj Panandikar, Nilesh Newalkar, Rock Rodrigues, John Gonsalves, Narayan Fondekar, Fomento Group, Akar Group and Borkar Super Stores have joined the mission, he said.
Anti-encroachment drive begins in Margao
The Margao Municipal Council finally launched its anti-encroachment drive on Friday, confiscating goods worth around Rs 25,000 upon the orders of newly-appointed Chief Officer Naveen S L.
However, all eyes are now focussed on the Chief Officer as questions are raised whether he would return the goods after imposing a paltry fine or auction the material to send a strong message to the erring traders that the civic body means business.
The anti-encroachment drive was held around the Municipal markets, old station road and near the Margao railway station pointed that they have put up a note to the chief officer seeking his guidance on dealing with the seized goods.
In the past, the civic body used to return the seized material after imposing a fine, a practice which had failed to act as a deterrent. Repeated pleas to the civic body by the public at large not to return the goods to the traders and instead auction the material had fallen on deaf ears. “Let us wait and see if the new chief officer is serious in addressing the problem,” remarked a citizen.
