Team Herald
CUNCOLIM: It has been thirty years since Cuncolim was classified as a town, however, till date it has not been provided with a well-equipped library.
Following persistent requests by the residents and highlighting this issue at the Municipal Council, a library was inaugurated at the CMC building at Cuncolim Market. Chairperson Polita Carneiro, VCP Sashank Dessai, councillors and the chief officer expressed their happiness.
However, the library does not meet basic standards. It has two shelves and a hundred-odd books and more importantly no librarian to oversee its functioning. There are two tables and fifteen chairs with the facility of daily newspapers.
When asked if this was a library or a reading room, the Chief Officer Shankar Gaonkar said, “It is the first step by inaugurating a small library room. Wait and you will see the results in coming months. Some of us donated books. We have utilised our own premises to start a library; give us some time for a full fledged library.”
This is the second attempt by the CMC to start a library. Some 20 years ago the council had inaugurated a library near the Council building. Former Member of Parliament Francisco Sardinha had constructed it under the MPLAD scheme. At that point it was declared that Rs 25 lakh would be spent on books. After the inauguration of the library, Cuncolkars did not see the face of the so called library. That library building was turned into a changing room and store room for CMC workers. Cuncolkars are worried and hope that the present library does not meet a similar fate.
There are ten primary schools, five high schools, two higher secondary schools and a degree college in Cuncolim.
