Team Herald
PANJIM: Concerned at the growing number of deaths and injuries due to the bad roads and damage caused to health by the never-ending Smart City works, the Goa Green Brigade held a 'walk the talk' on 'Smart City's Art of Building Killer Roads, How Citizens Must Act,' in Panjim on Friday.
Speaking to reporters, activist and convenor of the Green Brigade Avertino Miranda said, "The issue is of how the smart city roads have become dangerous and a death trap. It is a sad thing that people are not only getting injured, but also losing their lives."
Sabina Martins, convenor of Bailancho Saad and a Panjim resident, said, "I am really tired complaining everyday about what is happening here. It was supposed to be a Smart City and we all were supposed to have felt good living here. But the city is being dug up every single day. If you want to walk in the city, you cannot. At every point, there is some digging happening. I do not understand how things are being done."
"There are a lot of senior citizens who have fallen sick due to dust pollution. Air quality has become worse. It was never an issue in the city before. They have flooded the river Mandovi with casinos and all the sewage is going in it," she said.
Succuro Menezes, resident of Ribandar said, "If the Smart City is not making life easy for the people, then what is the point of having it. It does not have a set standard."
Alwyn D'Sa, a Miramar resident, said the authorities wake up only when someone dies.
One of the most moving testimonies was that of Amsley Monteiro who narrated how his father, late Emidio Monteiro met with a tragic end due to the Smart City works in Ribandar.
"What happened to us was sad and unfortunate. We didn't expect him to go in this way. My father sustained serious head injuries after he fell into a pothole from his two-wheeler at Ribandar just outside the police outpost. We took him to PHC Betki where he was administered first aid and sent home. After three days, he complained of pain and had to be shifted to the GMC, where the doctors diagnosed a brain clot and he had to undergo neuro surgery. After battling for his life, he finally passed away," Amsley said.
After the event was over, it was decided that a written memorandum will be submitted to the officials of the Smart City, the CCP and the Goa State Pollution Control Board, after receiving inputs from the participants, which will include definitive ground action to stop the reckless digging and remove all the debris and mud in a time bound manner and on a war footing. An active citizen's monitoring group will also be formed for follow-up action.