TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: The Margao municipality has shown the red flag to all agencies engaged in digging work in the town on Wednesday, to wind up their work by May 15 and desilt the drains, in the wake of the approaching monsoons, to avoid flooding.
MMC chairperson Dayanand Deulkar chaired an emergency meeting with representatives of various departments including electricity and PWD (roads and sewerage) to take stock of the ongoing road digging work in view of complaints of haphazard work and damage to the storm water drains.
The chairperson told the officials that the restoration and cleaning of clogged drains should be completed by May 15, adding that Margao would face a major problem in the event of early rains this year.
The meeting assumed significance and comes against the backdrop of complaints received from councillors representing Aquem, Rawanfond and Housing Board, and Gogol wards where road digging activity has left the drains clogged.
Ward councillor Sadanand Naik said that the Housing Board area may witness flooding if timely action is not initiated to clean up the drains after the roads were dug to lay power cables or sewerage line. Both the power and PWD departments should immediately take care to desilt the drains”, he said.
When Herald contacted, the PWD Assistant Engineer Sheikh said the road digging contractor has been directed to immediately restore the damaged roads and desilt the drains. “We expect the contractor to complete the work by May 15, the deadline set by the district authorities,” Sheikh added.
