MAPUSA: The much-hyped Viscount garden in Pernem market that was constructed at a cost of around Rs 50 lakh is now lying neglected and poorly maintained. The accumulated water in the springs has now become a breeding site for mosquitoes.
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| State of Pernem Garden within one year |
The Pernem garden, the foundation for which was laid by Urban Development Minister, Mr Joaquim Alemao in January 2006, was promised to be constructed by Mr Alemao through the Goa State Urban Development Agency within four months. However the work took nearly four years.
The garden though incomplete with regards to electrical works was inaugurated at Dussehra time last year. Some of the electrical works that had to be concealed under the ground were kept temporarily open and above the ground.
Within a few days after inaugurating the garden and due to heavy current passing through the wires two children who were playing got a shock. The local councillor, Dr Sainath Chanekar was informed who in turn ordered the chief officer at that time Mr K D Halarnkar to disconnect the power supply.
It is since then the garden is in darkness, the wiring is not yet repaired, the nozzles of the water fountains are all rusty as they have been non-functioning for the last one year and there are worms and mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant water.
Pumps fitted for the fountains are also spoilt. Chairperson, Mr Nilesh Pednecar when contacted said that a new tender of around Rs 3 lakh has been floated for doing up the remaining work but doubted whether even after doing this work, things would improve in the garden.
"I am pursuing the matter with the contractor who is supposed to take up the work, somehow all this time the architect, the consultant and the contractor were playing the blame game but I convinced the contractor to take up the work which is not a very big deal and finish up soon as the garden is lying in bad condition for the past one year.
The contractor has assured me to get the work done by Dussehra this year," informed Mr Pednecar.
He said that ever since he took charge two months back he has been pursuing the matter and wanted to see the garden in all its glory at least for the Chaturthi season but that unfortunately did not happen, however he said that he would try and see that it is improved definitely at Dussehra.
2 comments:
When COWMUTh was the Power minister, he was busy erecting ornamental lamp posts all over Goa. The motive was well known by everyone as how much these lamp posts costs. It is a pity that these lamp posts are in a shaddy condition today. In the same manner, the Gua government is good in building projects but not maintaining the further. They need to go to Western countries and see how infrastructure is maintained and protected unlike Goa. Now elections are near, we will see lot of foundation stones laid and ribbons cut.
Goas Clowns_PART 2......What about Govt responsibility?’
• Claude Alvares, director of the Goa Foundation, an environment-monitoring group: ‘‘If it is not moved soon then pieces of metal will get into the sand and it will take 50-60 years to clear it up.’’ • Sucheta Potnis, columnist: ‘‘The Centre needs to do something. They have been selling Goa as a premier beach destination, where is there responsibility? What about the environmentalists? Where is their PIL?’’ • Helmut Meckelberg, area director, Taj Goa: ‘‘There is tacit approval of a lot of agencies and collusion.’’ • Commander K.B.L. Bhatnagar, Coast Guard: ‘‘It does not fall within our purview to advise the govt.’’ • Chandran Mahadevan, head of Singapore’s Smit Salvage’s Commercial operations: "Three years after the wreck it’s too late to refloat the ship and the only alternative remains to cut it up.” • Sunil Nair, partner of Soham International, a shipbroker: "It should be broken up and as soon as possible.”
He announced on Wednesday in the Assembly that tenders would be floated in two-three days.
• Three years ago, Manohar Parrikar, an IIT product and said to be the most effective chief minister of Goa, made his tallest promise of moving it. Today, before rushing in for his Assembly session across the Mandovi river, he laughs at the idea that the ship is affecting tourism: ‘‘Not at all. I need more time to find the right agency...I am a metallurgist, I know. The sea has enough iron ore. It’s an eyesore and I even have a person offering to paint it. The shoreline is fine, it can wait beyond the monsoon.”
Is the government cowed by Salgaoncar? He shakes his head: ‘‘I keep meeting him."
• Anil Salgaoncar (62) is at the helm of an empire of real estate, shipping and mining. ‘‘The ship is very big. Under the garb of pollution, people are out to grab an opportunity to make money.’’ The only solution to River Princess, according to Salgaoncar, is to cut it up into big pieces, put it in a barge, build a pontoon to the shore and then take it away.
He is upset he’s reportedly stopped giving his annual donation to the Sangh Parivar. ‘‘I will sue them for damages.’’ Why did he not just move it in 2000? ‘‘First the bad weather, then the court battles. It became the imagination of the Goa government to be refloated and be towed away—an impossible task.”
What about the pollution? ‘‘Nothing. Steel cuttings sink into the sea. I need six months to cut it up.’’
Tourism? ‘‘It has become a tourist place. Everyone who comes to Goa, must see it.’’
‘We talk about it in England,’’ says Peter Hunter, a cabbie on an annual break. ‘‘I hope to see it next year.’’
And he will. At the time of going to press, the tender the tourism minister promised to float by Saturday had still not been floated. In Goa, the Carnival has begun
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