Team Herald
PANJIM: The meeting of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Thursday turned stormy after the ruling and opposition panels objected to the Commissioner’s decision to charge just one third of the prescribed fees for road cutting in the capital city for laying a gas pipeline.
The council went on to pass a resolution asking Commissioner Ajit Roy to write to Goa Natural Gas Pvt Ltd to pay the balance amount within a week failing which the road cutting permission be revoked.
The meeting started with the ruling panel councillors asking why the commissioner, without placing the matter before the council, gave the permission by charging just one-third of the prescribed fees.
As councillors Menino D’Cruz, Rahul Lotlikar and Uday Madkaikar sought answers, Roy tried to convince them that gas is a utility service and claimed there were norms in panchayats and corporations across the country wherein they charged one third of the prescribed fees for road cutting.
The councilors, said they were not against the project which will benefit the people, but were worried as to why the corporation charged less when it has a shortage of funds and claimed there are no compulsory norms on payments for utility service projects.
Mayor Surendra Furtado backed the councillors and stated that in the past there have been serious issues related to payments for road cutting causing losses to the corporation.
Councillor Ruth Furtado also questioned the Commissioner on measures that have been taken to prevent explosions and fires when frequent digging takes place as the pipelines will pass through densely populated areas. The commissioner assured to hold a presentation meeting with the Goa Natural Gas officials along with the councillors.
After receiving approval from CCP, Goa Natural Gas commenced work to lay the underground gas polyethylene piping system to provide piped gas to individual homes in the State capital.
