PRATIK PARAB
pratik@herald-goa.com
Though the Councillors of Margao are calling for a bifurcation of Margao and Fatorda into a separate Municipal Council there have been lots of thoughts crossing the minds of the town dwellers over the plan. Whether it is an advantage or a disadvantage for the town as a whole is still debatable and not debated yet, experts say that bifurcating the town won’t serve a healthy purpose for either of the parts.
Herald attempted to speak to some of the veterans of the Margao Municipal Council who had to say that it is an advantage Margao has because of the trade centre. The increasing population, less land and resources to expand and the political fallout of the latest assembly election may have triggered the thought. The Margao Municipal Council has been under the aegis of the former Chief Minister Digamber Kamat for years together. The BJP has attempted to capture this fort for years. However, on the other hand the Fatorda Constituency has seen several MLAs ranging from Mama Cardozo, Damu Naik and now Vijai Sardesai.
In the history of Margao Municipal Council no Fatorda MLA has been able to get a huge number of councillors elected from the Fatorda Municipal jurisdiction. MLA Vijai Sardesai, however, had made it possible when he was an independent MLA with the BJP ruling the state of Goa. Vijai, with his councillor and a doctor by profession Dr Babita Angle, has taken the MMC in their stride and have, for the last two years, taken several decisions which were long overdue.
Sources say with majority councillors’ support Vijai discovered that the administration at the MMC was not as fast and enthusiastic for reforms the MLA and his council plan to have. Hence at an occasion earlier Vijai said that he is thinking on the lines of bifurcation of the MMC into FMC.
Speaking of the pros and cons, Fatorda may have to struggle on the revenue side as the Margao area has the highest concentration of trade in the town. Though the Fatorda areas are getting developed as business hubs, if FMC comes to be a reality it will have to struggle a lot for the revenue collections to run the show at least at the start, say sources.
The Chairperson of MMC, Babita, when asked what she feels about the bifurcation, said “The bifurcation is presently a thought and has not been discussed and debated well to be spoken out of.”
One of the Senior Councillors, however, candidly said that the bifurcation may be an uphill task due to the revenue collection.
Secondly, the Margao Municipal Council if bifurcated, will have a larger population and more trade which will keep the Margao town afloat on all the sides.
Suggestions of having an office beyond office is also said to be advantageous and a win-win deal of all wherein people are not required to come all the way to Margao to get their works done.
However, the TCP Minister and Fatorda MLA may be the key to execution of this plan.
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MMC’s competition for logo
The Margao Municipal Council proposes to have a specific logo reflecting the heritage and ethos of the town besides having specially designed handcarts and kiosks. Competitions will be held to select the best logo and design announced MMC Chairperson Dr Babita Angle Prabhudessai.
Briefing media persons she also announced the council’s decision to invite letters of intent from parties willing to create awareness programmes in keeping with the “Swachh Bharat” mission by erecting boards at the boundaries of the city.
Besides organising competitions for school and college students, seminars will also be conducted and advertisements will have to be designed for the print media, to be telecast on local TV channels and also internet. Debates will also be organised in cleanliness and stickers will also be printed.
The MMC has earmarked Rs. 7 lakhs received under the 14th Finance Commission for this programme.
“MMC letter head is so bland and I feel it has to be given a character with the right colour and logo reflecting its heritage,” she said agreeing that the very building housing MMC was a heritage structure and said the competition will be open for all people but the main target is the youth and particularly art students.
The selected logo will receive a prize of Rs 30,000.
She pointed out that despite being an A class municipality Margao Municipal Council letter head did not have a logo or a watermark and could be easily forged by anybody.
Besides, she said another competition will be held to select a designer handcart and kiosk. Participants will be permitted to submit two designs for each and the prize money in each category will be Rs 50,000.
She also revealed plans to have a cycle rally with Saxtti riders on October 2 besides organising a walkathon to mark Gandhi Jayanti.
