PRATIK PARAB
Functioning of Margao Municipal Council (MMC) appears to be hampered in the absence of a full time Chief Officer even though Collector Swapnil Naik, who is given additional charge of CO, does asks for files to his office at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex.
The council has not taken any action against the establishments that have encroached upon the footpaths or verandahs to conduct their business thereby causing all sorts of problems to pedestrians and motorists.
The former Chief Officer YB Tawde had, on May 30, assured that the market inspectors would check the establishments and ensure that the verandas and footpaths would be cleared from encroachments. However, no action of any nature, even an inspection, has been carried out till date.
The Taxation Officer Abhay Rane, who looks after the market inspectors, was not available for comments as he was holding additional charge at the Mormugao Municipal Council.
It was brought to the notice of the MMC that at Old Market the establishment named Manush Bar and Restaurant has since closed down but somebody is running a tandoor on the verandah of the said Manush bar and restaurant and going by the crowd seen there, the joint appears to be doing a roaring business.
However, the MMC does not have any record of the person running the tandoor and do not even know his name as it is not receiving any revenue from it.
At the other end of Margao near Khareband a fast food joint is being run on the footpath/verandah of an old bar and restaurant that was existing there. The Green Land Restaurant that opens only in the evening is found to be operating only from the footpath which results in traffic jams as vehicles are parked haphazardly as they wait to collect their take away.
Similarly, three or four people who have occupied the footpath opposite Hotel Anapurna have not been cleared as yet and surprisingly no officer of the Margao Municipal Council was willing to comment on it.
The encroachments on Margao street footpaths have been causing lot of hindrance and nuisance for pedestrians.
Several people coming to the market are now being forced to walk on the vehicular road putting their life at risks being hit by two-wheelers. The situation has been turning from bad to worse, especially on the Hari Mandir Lane and the National Highway lane opposite Hindu Pharmacy.
Shops and vendors on the Hari Mandir lane not only violate rules but also block footpaths making pedestrians walk on the roads.
To add to this mess, several two-wheelers can be seen parked right on the footpath on the doorsteps of MMC building. This has been happening during daytime with no action from the authorities concerned.
Municipal employees responsible to check on the encroachments are seen enjoying and roaming on their bikes ignoring their duties.
There has also been a tremendous rise in gaddas encroaching road sides all over Margao. The worst affected areas are the Railway over bridge side of Margao where 5 to 6 new gaddas (kiosks) have come up in addition to the previous ones.
These gaddas are disposing their waste into a drain behind a nallah opposite the bridge. The stink and filth caused is unbearable and is giving a bad name to the town which receives over lakh of tourists every year.
The KRC had earlier cleared all the encroachments in its area and were hoping that the municipality would take care of the area beyond their premises. But the MMC appears to be in no mood to pay heed to the problems.
