Team Herald
MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council is lagging behind in completing the re-survey of the unsafe buildings within its jurisdiction, despite directions from the District Collector to submit a report in this regard, at the earliest. MMC Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar said that the process is in the final stage and a list of unsafe buildings will be finalised in the next few days.
Citizens and activists of the commercial town however allege that the civic body may be waiting another untoward incident in order to expedite the process. It may be recalled that in November last year, a concrete slab from one of the oldest private buildings in Margao had collapsed onto a car, and one person was injured.
District Collector Jyoti Kumari had directed the civic body to conduct a fresh survey of the unsafe buildings. In a list prepared by the MMC earlier, it was found that there are around 21 unsafe buildings in Margao. Upon the notices served to them by the civic body, many owners of the said buildings had even submitted their stability reports.
Savio Coutinho, former MMC Chairperson said that minor incidents of building/structure collapse in Margao are reported at least twice a year.
He said it seems to be beyond doubt that the concerned authorities are not serious about the buildings that are actually in a dilapidated condition, but much stronger buildings are taken over by real estate developers on the pretext of safety. “These buildings get demolished, after getting the benefits of double FAR with zone change. And the actual dilapidated structures continue to
remain as they are,” complained Coutinho.
