Waste of public money: Several projects in State still remain unutilised

It appears that the public money has gone “waste” as several projects in the State are gathering dust with some even lying vacant or unutilised for reasons best known to the government.

Headland Sada Market Complex-cum-Community Hall 

The Market Complex-cum-Community Hall project at Headland Sada, which was inaugurated on the Goa Statehood Day, is yet to be operational. Mormugao Municipal Council Chairperson Damodar Kaskar said some minor changes are yet to be done.   

The construction of this building started in the latter half of 2016 and was expected to be completed by 2018. The structure was ready but due to some technical issues the opening has been stalled. The project was inaugurated on the Goa Statehood Day this year. As per the Goa State Urban Development Agency’s (GSUDA) official website, the expenditure incurred is Rs 2,30,85,304.   

Chairperson Kaskar said, “The project will house vegetable and fish vendors, hawkers and miscellaneous outlets. The four-storey building will also have a gymnasium, community hall, parking facility and shops.” 

When asked why the complex has not been put to use, Kaskar said, “Some internal changes need to be done. During monsoon, there was water stagnation on the ground floor. After fixing these minor issues, the complex will be made operational”.

An NGO had written to the government authorities demanding that their departments be shifted to the complex considering the ongoing renovation work of the municipal building. But the offices continue to function from the same building.

Pernem Post Office                              and Town Hall 

The old post office building — a Portuguese era structure has been abandoned while Pernem post office has been functioning from a private building for last several years. Pernem town hall, which was a source of generating revenue, was a one-stop venue for several taluka level functions and exhibitions. People now opt for private alternatives and the mammoth structure lies vacant. 

The Tourist House at Malpe just like many other Portuguese-era buildings is not renovated for commercial use as the same could have been converted into a museum.  

Pernem Municipal Council (PMC) Chairperson Usha Nagvekar said, “There are only two structures which are in such condition. One is the post office and second is the town hall. The town hall file is pending for financial approval.”

Ponda Market Complex I & II

After leaving the Ponda Market Complex vacant for 11 years, the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) now hopes of generating income from the shops. 

However, of the 130 shops less than 20 per cent are operational. The complex, which was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 38 crore, was inaugurated in 2011. Recently, many shops were auctioned, but none have started business. The Ponda Market Complex got a facelift a decade after its inauguration. 

PMC Chairperson Shantaram Colvekar said, “The maintenance work is nearing completion and hopes to make the shops operational.”

One among the main reasons the vendors had refused to shift to the new complex is that customers don’t visit these shops.  Some vendors had even approached court with their demands. Now, with all issues sorted out, the complex is still vacant. 

Concrete structures in Carmona

In Carmona’s Gavona ward lie two mammoth concrete structures constructed by the PWD using public money. One is a ground level reservoir with a capacity of 60 cubic metres which was commissioned on February 28, 2007 and the other an overhead service reservoir of 300 cubic metres capacity commissioned on May 16, 2010. 

They were built in a property donated by Manuel Antao and Victor Egipsy to solve the water supply issues in the village. But these structures have now turned white elephants for the village. “Despite several requests from the panchayat, the PWD refuses to put them to use citing vague excuses and operational difficulties,” said Carmona Sarpanch Allwyn Jorge.

“We have approached almost everyone in the political and bureaucratic hierarchy but no efforts are made to clean the tanks and re-commission them which can help tide over the water supply issues if there is a water supply shutdown at the Selaulim Dam and also help in bolstering the water pressure in the village. It requires a political will to solve the water supply issues as the department is scared of pipeline leakages and refuses to even pressure test them to do away with their primal fear of pipeline bursting,” Jorge added. 

Inputs by Asmita Polji, Dhiraj Harmalkar, Santosh Naik and Gary Azavedo