Team Herald
PORVORIM: The role of the PWD and the Sewerage Corporation came under the scanner during a lengthy discussion held in the Assembly on Thursday, about the bad quality of roads.
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Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro led the charge against the government and observed that while the PWD Minister may issue approvals immediately and tenders too released on time, the work orders are constantly delayed.
Calling it a ‘roller-coaster’ ride, just to follow up with the authorities to get the work orders issued, he blamed administrative lapses that lead to delays in executing road works.
Faleiro warned the government that their assurances of hot- mixing all the roads in Goa will be like another ‘paper’ tiger, given that road work related tenders issued last year are on the verge of expiring at the end of this month.
He also questioned the lack of coordination between government departments that results in roads being broken for lying various pipelines at regular intervals.
The Congress veteran also pointed out that the State government gets crore from the Japan International Cooperation Agency funded projects in the State, for which roads have been dug up.
He said there are a large number of works in his constituency itself for laying of the sewerage line but that there doesn’t seem to be any deadline in sight regarding when these works will get completed.
The former Chief Minister however, said the government should also spend a considerable amount in restoring these roads to their original condition and recalled that many of these roads were once in pretty good shape.
Faleiro added that during the monsoons, when the poor road conditions are on display for all, people share pictures on social media with the choicest of bad works for the MLAs when in reality it is the government authorities like PWD and Sewerage Corporation who are at fault.
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao also criticised the Sewerage Corporation and past governments for faulty planning when it came to setting up sewerage treatment plants and digging roads for laying sewerage pipelines.
He alleged that some of these plants have old technology and are also leaking, thus polluting the environment and local rivers in the process.
He said such plants should have come up in remote areas and that the government should have ensured that surrounding areas are not affected by such projects.
