TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: It appears that the old scientific dictum that ‘Water finds its own level,’ in not evident to our civic and development monitoring authorities. Development in the city of Panjim has meant unregulated development, but caring too hoots for the water drains while planning projects due to lack of knowledge or plain callousness, non-observance of rules including keeping of setbacks to water bodies with active connivance of officials.
However, the authorities have not paid heed to such complaints and have concentrated more on fire-fighting rather than long term improvement of the drainage system in the city by getting to the bottom of the problem.There are solutions and as insiders point out, require just common sense, not yet another bunch of consultant and, they feel that local CCP engineers can easily do the job.
According to the CCP, Rs 20 crore has already been organized for cleaning of the St Inez Creek. But the government has still not made estimates let alone tendered it.First the – creek has to be cleaned and the 5 mts setback on the creel has to be marked out. All encroachments at the side of the creek should be cleared, and septic tanks made compulsory for residents who live along the creek. Also dustbins should be placed at every nook and corner in the area and ensured they are cleared. Anyone dumping garbage in the creek to be fined heavily.Also private players like Vivanta by Taj and other establishment nearby should be ‘encouraged’ to display their corporate social responsibility, instead of discouraging them when they take up such causes.
Strom drains should be checked and it has to be ensured that they are connected along with cross drains. Finally, contractors who flout building rules and who break drains and stop flow of water should be penalized and blacklisted.Civic society too should be actively involved in ensuring that no plastics are dumped into drains and dustbins should be provided around the city which had been taken out in the CCP in its much touted ‘Bin free in 2003’ campaign, which has led to littering of open spaces.
