Cracks are showing in the infrastructure put in place to deck up the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, for the IFFI 2011 inaugural ceremony at a whopping cost of Rs 14 crore. Huge cracks are visible all over the imposing structure and even the chamber occupied by the Chairman of the Ravindra Bhavan is no exception as cracks have surfaced there too.
The interlocking pavers, especially behind the auditorium and the area leading to the canteen have developed defects. There are complaints galore from two-wheeler riders over the damage caused to vehicles by the defective pavers. Water seepage can be seen daily during the monsoon. Not just the auditorium, water seepage has become a routine phenomenon around the Black Box constructed on the eve of IFFI 2011. And, not to mention the stinking toilets which were given a face lift on par with international standard on the eve of IFFI inaugural ceremony.
Three years down the line the ground reality remains unchanged. A change in political guard has not resulted in any change in the ground reality. The defective pavers have not been replaced till date and the cracks are only getting wider with each passing day. Incumbent Ravindra Bhavan Chairman Damodar (Damu) Naik, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa, had once remarked that while only a thread could pass through the cracks initially, the cracks are now wide enough for a hand to enter.
Interestingly, no one is ready to throw light on the Rs 14 crore spent on the Ravindra Bhavan ahead of IFFI 2011. Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, however, said that the PWD had executed the renovation works at Ravindra Bhavan based on the recommendations of the IFFI coordination committee. On the infrastructure that is cracking at the Ravindra Bhavan, Kamat shot back asking whether it is the responsibility of a Chief Minister to stand at the site and supervise works on the interlocking pavers.
“Is it my responsibility to monitor the works when we have a mechanism in place to oversee and get the works completed as per specifications,” Kamat questioned.
During one of his visits to the Ravindra Bhavan, Art and Culture Minister, Dayanand Mandrekar, had remarked that his department had no role to play in spending the Rs 14 crore on the renovation works. Naik echoed similar sentiments.
“My office had been repeatedly reminding my parent department and the PWD as well to take up the repairs and rectification work at the Ravindra Bhavan since I took office in 2012,” Naik said.
In fact, the Ravindra Bhavan Chairman said that no repair work has been taken up at the complex since he took over the chairmanship two-and-a-half years ago. “The repairs and renovation of the Ravindra Bhavan complex are stuck up on account of delays by the Public Works department. Nothing is moving in respect of the repairs and renovations. Whatever was proposed by the General Council to the government has not been attended by the PWD,” Naik said.
