MARGAO: At the South Goa Zilla Parishad (ZP) meeting, ZP members complained about that their pending works have not been completed for years with some members directly accusing engineers of causing hurdles in executing the works.
However, SGZP Chairman Navnath Naik asked members to give their list of works within the next 15 days and that the same would be tendered as soon as funds are received.
ZP member Nelly Rodrigues suggested that estimates be prepared of only Rs 2 lakh so that the work could be allotted to registered dealers instead of going through the tender process.
She also complained bitterly about the absence of a vehicle because of which their works are not undertaken and blamed an engineer for ignoring the file pertaining to the vehicle and demanded that the same be handed over to another official, which the chairman agreed to.
She pointed out that not a single meeting of the District Planning Committee has been held during the term of the present ZP and said this would be a slur on the reputation of the chairman and appealed to him to convene a meeting before their term ends in another six month.
ZP member Mohan Verenkar listed out three works, which have not been done for the last three years and demanded that the contractor be penalised while three other members demanded blacklisting of a contractor for not completing works allotted to him.
On another issue, ZP member Jaydeep Shirodkar lamented that there is no way to check the bribes allegedly being taken by the traffic police who instead of challaning offenders just take some money and let them go away. He also demanded that alvara land be handed over to the cultivator while condemning the scam that has been unearthed in the Goa Dairy.
He also demanded that Shiroda be provided with a separate police station, which could be constructed at the land where a fire station is proposed. “Shiroda needs a police station more than a fire service station,” he said.
ZP member Moreno Rebello tabled a motion condoling the death of former minister Victoria Fernandes who was born in Curtorim but married in Santa Cruz and said she was passionate about Goa and Goans and that is why was so popular amongst the people.
He also said that increasing the fines for traffic violations was akin to rubbing salt over the wounds given the pathetic condition of roads in the State. He criticised the state of toilets in the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex, while also demanded an apology from the Collector for disrespecting the ZP members and shifting the venue of their meeting at the eleventh hour.
