PANJIM: The agenda was to discuss Panjim Smart City issues. But Sunday evening’s session at Gracia de Orta Garden around 7 pm instead turned out to be a “musical soiree”.
The organisers, it seemed, had done everything to keep the people who had attended the meet in good humour. For over an hour, the band entertained the guests, some of whom were evening joggers. Three stalls serving liquor, pastries and snack too kept them busy. However, no one from the organisers were either seen at the venue or took phone calls to give an update on the session.
Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) and Imagine Panaji – your smart city, have been holding open forum and public gathering among others to engage general public for suggestions and views on garbage collection, traffic management, waste management, conserving heritage areas and structures, etc.
Panjim has an area of 8.21 sq km whereas the planning for the Smart City will include areas like Ribandar, Bhatlem, Dona Paula and not just the city area.
Earlier, a public meeting was held to deliberate on various civic issues such as transport and mobility, heritage, waste management, sanitation, health, waster, bio-diversity and culture among others. The public meeting was organized by Panjim MLA Sidharth Kuncalienkar and CCP Mayor Shubham Chodankar.
The public meeting kicked off with ICLEI South Asia consultations conducting a presentation on the existing issues and the process being followed to submit the Panjim Smart City proposal.
The citizens had even voted for mobility and retrofitting at Mala.
As a next step, the capital city now has to get shortlisted in the final round of the MoUD’s Smart City Challenge, where 20 other cities would be selected to be developed in the first year.
