MARGAO: The Shadow Council for Margao on Wednesday distributed 650 masks and 2000 gloves to different government agencies in Margao even as Margao Municipal Council that had initially agreed to accept the gloves and masks, refused to accept them on grounds that they have sufficient material.
Shadow Council for Margao Convener Savio Coutinho said that such hostile attitude from MMC was not welcome. He disclosed that he had discussed the matter with the chief officer even on Tuesday and fixed the time to hand over the masks.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
However, on Wednesday when Coutinho with others came to hand over the material, MMC Chairperson Pooja Naik who was chairing a council meeting where the chief officer was not present, came out and said the council has decided not to accept the masks and gloves as they have ordered 20,000 masks.
Later, speaking to media persons she said 15,000 masks of the 20,000 ordered have already been delivered and opined that it would be better if the same could be given to some other agency.
The Shadow Council for Margao then distributed the 250 masks and 200 gloves meant for MMC to the Fire and Emergency Services staff and also to the staff at Margao Town, Maina Curtorim, Traffic and Women’s cell police personnel who were in addition given 50 masks and 200 gloves.
ESI staffers were given 200 masks and 1000 gloves while Hospicio was given 150 masks and 600 gloves. All these masks and gloves were contributed by people from Margao including business persons, said Coutinho.
While Coutinho pointed out that MMC staff including the most vulnerable being the garbage collectors are working without using the mask Chairperson Pooja said they have distributed safety material to all staff and the garbage collector are deliberately not wearing them as they are not comfortable with them.
He said municipal staffers, including supervisors, have claimed that they have not been given safety equipment and sought to know the date and time when the stock was received by the council.
Dr Vishwajit Faldesai of ESI Hospital, Dr Ira Almeida of Hospicio Hospital, Police Inspectors Sachin Narvekar, Sagar Ekoskar and Suraj Samant reportedly appreciated and thanked the Shadow Council team for their gesture during these difficult times.
