CUNCOLIM: Cuncolim Municipal Council has called upon industrialists from Cuncolim Industrial Estate to lend their financial support under CSR to make Cuncolim Open defecation free City. Chief Officer of Cuncolim Municipal Council has requested industrialists to provide financial help to make “Clean Cuncolim, Beautiful Cuncolim” a reality.
In this regard, the CO had called a meeting of industrialists on Thursday at CMC hall. President of Cuncolim Industrialist Association Abhay Keni, industrialists, representatives of various establishments, Chairperson Lavita Mascarenhas, councillors and GSUDA Swachh Bharat coordinator Sumit Kumar Singh were present.
CO Shankar Gaonkar urged all industrials to come forward in making Cuncolim an open defecation-free city. He appealed to them either to construct and maintain toilets in different wards or to adopt some wards to resolve open defecation menace once and for all.
CO Gaonkar told them that out of the 12 wards, in seven, the open defecation problem existed in 27 spots. He also said because of migrant labourers who are working in IDC and other places open defecation problem was at its highest in these spots.
According to a council survey it was revealed that at IDC and neighbouring wards were labourers were staying in rented rooms, the problem of open defecation was highly concentrated.
Chairperson Lavita Mascarenhas, councillor Videsh Dessai, Sashank Dessai, Ashok Fadte and other councillors appealed to industrialists to extend financial support as a Corporate Social Responsibility in eradicating the problem.
Some councillors also brought to the notice of the CO that there are several rented rooms without sanitation facilities.
Some locals like Aviraj Dessai who were present at the meeting asked the council to conduct a survey of all rented rooms and take strict action against those who did not have toilets. The CO assured to take cognisance of the issue. Gaonkar said he will find out how many rooms without toilets were rented out to the labourers. He also said if need be he may file cases against these room owners.
Industrialist Association President Abhay Keni said Cuncolim industrialists do not come under the CSR category, still as their responsibility, they are ready to extend all support to this cause. He said there are enough toilets at the industrial estate but in spite of that, migrant labourers did not use toilets.
GSUDA expert Sumit Kumar Singh gave a power point presentation on clean and smart City Scheme. CO Gaonkar told media that they will organise ward-wise awareness program and also will meet all industrialists to make the dream of open defecation free Cuncolim into reality. All Councillors and industrialists present appreciated the efforts of CO and agreed to cooperate in this regard.
