MARGAO: Margao Congress has questioned the recent proposal for rehabilitating Monti Dongor residents, describing it as an attempt to mislead the community.
Spearheading the agitation, Savio Couthino alleged that the move is aimed at regaining political ground rather than providing genuine relief.
Coutinho's remarks follow reports about the formation of a committee to oversee the rehabilitation process. He cautioned residents against placing faith in the plan, citing past committees that failed to resolve city issues.
He recalled that over two decades ago, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat had set up a Project Identification Committee, which proposed three flyovers to ease traffic congestion. However, none materialised, including a bridge over the railway track
at Comba.
Similarly, Coutinho pointed to the failed efforts to clear the Sonsodo waste dump. The Goa Foundation proposal was approved when Kamat was chief minister, but the committee formed to implement it struggled with procedural hurdles, leading to inaction. He further noted that the High-Powered Coordination Committee (HPCC) was later introduced to oversee waste management at Sonsodo, but the outcome was financial losses and an unresolved waste crisis.
Coutinho urged Monti Dongor residents to remain cautious about the new rehabilitation scheme and highlighted a previous controversy where house numbers were allotted, allegedly classifying homes as illegal. He claimed that resistance to such actions was met with opposition, but residents saw through the political maneuvering.
He also pointed to past instances where committees were formed with promises of progress, only for projects to remain unfulfilled. “With such a history of ineffective committees, people must carefully evaluate whether this new initiative will genuinely benefit them,” he said.