Team Goemkarponn
PERNEM: In yet another incident pointing to the deteriorating condition of the Pernem government complex, a head clerk sustained injuries after part of the ceiling collapsed inside the Women and Child Development (WCD) office on Monday.
The injured staffer, Sujay Gawade, was immediately taken to the Tuem Community Health Centre, where he is receiving medical care. Officials said he is out of danger.
Deputy Collector of Pernem, Shivprasad Naik, expressed concern over the condition of the building, stating that structural weakness had been noticed at multiple locations within the complex. He revealed that the Public Works Department (PWD) had been alerted earlier and had carried out an inspection, submitting its findings to higher authorities. “Despite the warnings, no corrective steps were taken, and the incident has now occurred. The situation calls for urgent intervention to prevent loss of life or damage to property,” Naik said.
The mishap has revived the debate over shifting the Pernem government offices from the ageing complex. In the past, Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar had suggested relocating the offices to Tuem, but opposition to the proposal resulted in the plan being dropped.
More recently, Pernem MLA Praveen Arlekar had visited the complex with officials around six months ago and announced the construction of a new government office complex on government land near the Ambedkar statue. However, the project has yet to move beyond the proposal stage.
With employees continuing to work from what many describe as an unsafe structure, the incident has triggered fresh demands for immediate repairs or relocation to ensure the safety of staff and the public.
