The dilapidated Shastri Hall building, in the heart of Ponda, continues business operation, posing a threat to customers
PDA market is Usagao also poses risk to lives
Goemakrponn desk
PONDA: Three years back, the dilapidated fifty-year-old Shastri Hall building in the heart of Ponda City was declared dangerous for human life, but still four shop owners continue doing business on the ground floor.
It is declared unsafe as it risks the shop owners and customers. Still, it is not entirely vacated, or any efforts are made to demolish.
The Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) invited the Goa Engineering College (GEC) team to conduct structural stability some three years back. The test report concluded that the building is unsafe for occupation.
However, despite the Shastri Hall building being declared unsafe, the four shop owners are seen doing business and risking lives.
According to Pondaitees, slab plaster is often falling, rods of beams are seen clearly rusted and exposed, and it appears the building may collapse any time. It is risky for customers to visit the four shops as the building is located on the side of the main road where several vehicles and pedestrians pass.
According to PMC Chairperson Shantaram Colvekar, the fifty-year-old Shastri Hall building comprising of four shops on the ground floor, Municipal Library on the first floor and Hall on the second floor which was in use was found in dilapidated condition and following stability test report in 2017 by Goa Engineering College Team declaring it unsafe for use, PMC had issued notice to shop owners asking to vacate.
“PMC even shifted its Municipal Library at Upper Bazaar at new Market Complex. The Four shop owners were also asked to temporarily move to shops in the Market complex until the new PMC Golden Jubilee building is ready to provide them shops. However, the shop owners are not prepared to shift to new places. We will take legal advice to take proper action into the matter at the earliest from the safety point of the public,” he said.
PDA Market is too in danger…
Similarly, one thirty-year-old dangerous PDA Market at Usgao is dilapidated due to lack of proper maintenance, yet around 100 vendors, including vegetables, shop vendors, and fish vendors doing business and posing a risk to customers.
The vendors have launched an agitation, demanding either government repair or reconstructing this PDA Market, but nothing happened except assurances. Now a week ago, the plaster of the slab collapsed, and one person was injured.
Sources in Usgao Ganjem Panchayat said SGPDA Market opened in 1991, and shops were allowed to vendors. Still, since then, SGPDA has totally neglected the maintenance of the market.
Panchayat is not getting revenue, but it lifts garbage and waste thrown by vendors. It could collapse anytime and may take the lives of innocent hence government urgently look into the matter. Sources said Health Minister Vishawajeet Rane planned a new Market for Usgao; however, the file is pending due to covid 19.
Sources said Panchayat had asked SGPDA to hand over the market building to Panchayat so that Panchayat can repair and generate revenue; however, SGPDA demand RS 40 lakh to hand over this dilapidated building to Usgao Panchayat. He said who will buy this dangerous building by costing Rs 40 lakh. The structure needs to demolish for the safety of the public.