TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The Lohia Chowk at Assolna – named after Dr Ram Manohar Lohia – lay in shambles on Wednesday as a mound of waste greeted people who assembled at the memorial to pay respect to the freedom fighters on Goa Revolution Day.
The place in the heart of Assolna market is named after Dr Ram Manohar Lohia following his visit to the village upon an invitation from his friend, Dr Juliao Menezes.
While a truckload of waste was found lying unattended close to the memorial secured by a railing, the memorial itself was found wanting in its upkeep and maintenance – thanks to the apathy and indifference of the authorities in sprucing up the memorial on the occasion of Goa Revolution Day.
Assolna Sarpanch Framila Almeida contended that the waste dumped at the Lohia Chowk could not be disposed of on time for want of a disposal site as she was questioned by some persons in the morning. “The waste could not be lifted away for want of a dumping site. I had taken up the matter with the local MLA Benjamin D’Silva, but he too expressed his helplessness for want of a site”, Framila told the Herald.
Incidentally, the Assolna Sarpanch claimed that the upkeep and maintenance of the Lohia Chowk memorial has not been handed over to the Panchayat by the district Collector, South. “The memorial has been beautified by the District Collector. Till date, however, the memorial has not been handed over to the Panchayat by the district authorities”, she said.
Sources in the know said an attempt was made by the Goa State Pollution Control Board to get the waste cleared by the neighbouring Cuncolim civic body. But the attempt ended in vain since the civic body insisted that it accepts only segregated waste at its treatment plant.
The neglect of the Lohia Chowk triggered outrage amongst citizens. Journalist Kamlax Prabhu condemned the neglect of the Lohia Chowk by the authorities. “The Assolna panchayat might be facing problem of garbage disposal, but the Chowk ought to have been spruced up at least on the occasion of Goa Revolution Day”, Prabhu said.
