The South Goa Collectorate, named after the late Matanhy Saldanha, is without a canteen for over a year.
The complex, which houses many government offices, had a canteen some time back. But it was closed by the Food and Drugs Administration for violations. It is almost two years now that the place is sealed. The canteen did open for some time but did not take off effectively.
Whilst building any major complex, a canteen, restaurant or a hotel is always in the plan, be it a sports complex, a hospital or a government office. The South Goa Collectorate, which houses the largest district headquarters in Goa and caters to people from South Goa, does not even a small snacks joint.
The area in the building once used as the canteen now looks like a dungeon. Efforts to restart the canteen have gone in vain.
The Deputy Chief Minister, Francis D’Souza, had discussed the issue with the Collector last year. D’Souza had committed to have a canteen before the Ganesh Chaturthi of 2015. The festival of 2016 is approaching, and the deputy minister seems to have forgotten his promise of restoring the canteen.
People, who come to the Collectorate, have to fend for themselves since they have to spend hours altogether to get their work done with serpentine queues seen in every office, specially the Civil Registrar of Births.
People are forced to cross the road to obtain simple snacks and also get water or a cup of tea.
The closest affordable place for the common man is quite far and the nearby food joints are costly and beyond their reach.
“I had come here for some work at 11 am and I have been told to come back after lunch. But I can neither leave the premises now nor have any snacks or water since there is no canteen here,” said Jezo Gaonkar from Quepem.
The absence of a canteen at the Collectorate now has given rise to private persons selling tea, bhaji and water to the needy people. People have been complaining that at times they have to stay for two three hours in the Collectorate to get their work done and have to literally starve for food.
Angered by the inconvenience caused to the people many citizens have demanded that the canteen be handed over to local Fatorda self-help groups so that the inconvenience of the people ends soon.
