Editor, Goemkarponn
AERIAL VIEW
But as they say, the issues of the common man are never the priority of the State and the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development. Ltd (IPSCDL) had some other ideas. They wanted some fancied projects like smart cards, CCTVs and the underground cabling of the electricity wires and so on.
Can underground cabling not be taken by the Electricity department? Why does the IPSCDL have to get involved in this?
Agreed with many CCP councillors that Panaji is almost the level of the sea, and hence the floodings happen during monsoons with high tides, but there have to be some remedial measures.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
It’s another monsoon, but we see the same old story of waterlogging and the floods-like situation in the Capital City of Panaji or the Smart City of Panaji.
It’s been years since the city fathers and the State government implemented the Smart City project for projects to the tune of Rs 108 cr were received from the State government.
But as they say, the issues of the common man are never the priority of the State and the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development. Ltd (IPSCDL) had some other ideas. They wanted some fancied projects like smart cards, CCTVs and the underground cabling of the electricity wires and so on.
Can underground cabling not be taken by the Electricity department? Why does the IPSCDL have to get involved in this?
Agreed with many CCP councillors that Panaji is almost the level of the sea, and hence the floodings happen during monsoons with high tides, but there have to be some remedial measures.
Panaji’s drainage network is amongst the worst; why not the IPSCDL on this issue of giving a better drainage system? Better roads?
The CCTVs have been or may be fixed on watching people wading and vehicles wading through the knee-deep waters?
Panaji, the capital city of Goa was initially planned by the Portuguese for a focused population.
The city saw tremendous development in the post-liberation period, so much so that the planned city started experiencing different problems, viz., erratic and unplanned growth and its related issues, making normal life miserable at times.
The Portuguese were instrumental in constructing the primary drains, which are currently functional and catering to the needs of that time.
The drainage system’s design was planned, but due to the current scenario of haphazard construction, impermeable surfaces and other factors have posed a threat and require immediate attention.
The capacity of the present drainage system is inadequate, with rising populations and urbanization in a disordered manner leading to waterlogging in the city as one of the man-made causes of concern.
These shortcomings need investigations immediately before the situation turns beyond anyone’s control and capacity; hence, the management of urban drainage is critically an important challenge!
This is necessary as the city is selected as a “Smart City” by govt. of India. With the futuristic views of modern planners come words and ideas like ‘Zero discharge city, Sustainability, Environmental friendly transportation, pedestrianism’ and many such innovations that are designed and implemented to build our world into a better place for our children to live in.
This work focuses on assessing the technical reasons leading to urban flooding, using geospatial techniques like QGIS, and Google Earth Pro, understanding the current scenario of the dilemma, and intend to provide a credible solution to the problem.
If the Portuguese could have the vision for drainage decades or centuries ago, why not the hi-tech politicians of Goa today?
Instead of concentrating on these important issues, we have the CCTV cameras and the Mangroves deck. The former IPSCDL CEO Swyandipta Pal Choudhary and chairman Siddharth Kuncoliencar need to ask the citizens what they have done with the funds?
The Chief Minister may do well if he constitutes another SIT to probe only the scams of IPSCL and send the CEO Swayandipta Pal Choudhary behind bars so that he spills the beans of those involved in the scam.
