ANIL KUMAR MISHRA
anilkumar@herald-goa.com
ST ESTEVAM: The grief among the mourners was palpable, but simmering below it – like a rising tide – was the anger. Social worker Emidio Monteiro’s funeral at St Stephen Church, St Estevam, on Monday became a meeting point for his family and friends, all of whom were united in their sorrow and their common fury against the ongoing Smart City project.
Emidio lost his life due to head injuries sustained when he fell from his two-wheeler into a crater that had been left on the Ribandar road by the Smart City work. He died on Saturday.
“This is not an accident but murder, and Emidio’s family should file a case against the Smart City officials. They should be held responsible because the death occurred due the negligence of those executing the work,” said Wilson D’Souza, a Ribandar resident, to O Heraldo.
Had the potholes been barricaded, the accident may have been averted, he reasoned. “The Smart City work has become a means of business. Hot-mixing work is being carried out at Ribandar, but the work is substandard and I'm sure it will not last for over three years,” he added.
Surendra Furtado, former Mayor of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), said, “Emidio Monteiro was an old friend. We were in the Youth Congress together and were part of many agitations. The way he died falling into a ditch is a tragedy. The Smart City work has been going on for the last five-six years, but they are not bothered about the lives of citizens.”
Saish Mhambrey, another Ribandar resident, said, “The Smart City work is being carried out in a haphazard manner, because of which he lost his life. This is the fourth case of a life being lost due to the work and their officials have to take the blame for this. I hope some action is initiated, since better precautionary measures including signages could have been put in place. This tragedy could have been easily avoided.”
Tony D'Souza, another Ribandar resident, pointed out that the Ribandar road has been in a state of disrepair for years and the last few months have been particularly terrible, with potholes and craters all along the stretch.
“This tragedy was almost waiting to happen and the Smart City project is to blame for it. Whoever is in charge of the Smart City should have known that there are major risks on the Ribandar road. Both Panjim and Ribandar are in a total mess, but no one wants to take responsibility or be accountable for the work,” he said.
Social activist Mariano Ferrao said, “Who is to be blamed for this death? It's the Smart City contractors and their supervisors who are responsible. When a tender is issued, there are certain norms. But they don't fulfil the norms. There should have been signages and lights.”