MARGAO: In a shocking incident, visitors frequenting Osia building complex, which houses various government offices, including the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department office, were astonished to find files belonging to the department lying dumped on a platform in an unused dilapidated toilet of the building complex.
The complex, which also hosts various government agencies, and numerous commercial establishments, witnessed citizens expressing apprehension about the safety of these documents.
Those who brought attention to the issue questioned the appropriateness of storing such sensitive documents in such a location, raising concerns about potential risks associated with this incident.
While the toilet in question is in a bad shape and appeared that it was not being used presently as a toilet, visitors pointed out that access to this toilet room was easily available to anyone on the day of the incident.
The issue came to light when some visitors who wanted to use the toilet, went inside the facility on this floor only to discover how filthy the toilet was and then were bewildered to see the documents.
Furthermore, it was not just one or two documents but quite a number of files that were kept on the platform of the toilet, which is connected to the sinks. People added that the documents were unsupervised and that if they had managed to enter the toilet, anyone else could too.
The locals also asked if the act of storing these documents in the toilet is something that’s done often or if it was carelessness on part of TCP staff in view of the fact that the public is not expected to visit this toilet given that it is in a bad shape.
“There should be an inquiry into this as it has to be ascertained whose files are this, as in it must be connected to someone’s application. We need to know how they landed up here and who is responsible for the storage of such documents. This is not the type of governance we have been promised,” said Ismail Shaikh, who was at the Osia Complex.
“In a day and age when the government is pushing towards a digital framework, this says something else altogether. There has to be better accountability and if the TCP is facing space constraints for storing these documents, then they should be taking it up with the higher ups. What if someone had to pick these documents and go,” added Sharon Pereira, a concerned local resident.
When O Heraldo contacted the TCP Senior Town Planner R M Borkar about this incident, he played down the concerns and said the situation was controlled and the staff were aware that the documents had been kept in the toilet temporarily.
Borkar insisted that the toilet is used only by the TCP staff and is an extension of the office in that regard.
“There are cleanliness and maintenance activities taking place in the office and it is possible that the workers engaged with that task, had temporarily shifted those documents in the toilet. All documents have been brought safely into the office. This is not a common practice, but a one-off incident,” Borkar said.
The toilet is located on the fourth floor of Osia complex and is right next to the TCP office and close to the staircase.
This fourth floor has the TCP office and the South Goa Planning and Development Office (SGPDA).
When SGPDA Chairman Krishna Daji Salkar was contacted, he stressed this issue was not connected to the SGPDA but that of the TCP office alone. (GOACAN conducts inspection of the Osia complex…PAGE 2>>)
