Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: Another verbal spat erupted on Thursday between Vasco-based social activist and former Congress Minority president Nazir Khan and Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) chairperson Girish Borker over the ongoing drive to remove scrapped and abandoned vehicles from city roads.
Speaking to reporters at Vasco market, Khan alleged selective action by the authorities and questioned why two massive trucks belonging to a mining company had not been towed despite lying abandoned for months.
“These trucks have been here for a very long time. The company has kept them on the already congested road near the market. It has been lying in the same position for the last few months,” said Khan.
“I raised the issue a long time ago and wrote to the traffic department with photos in February. They sent a letter to the company, but initially the company denied the trucks were theirs. Later, I sent another letter to the traffic department and marked a copy to the Chief Officer of MMC. The traffic department pointed out that the MMC should take action, and the MMC blamed it back on them. I finally wrote to all senior officials of relevant government departments and today, suddenly, some action seems to be happening. Out of nowhere, the company people brought batteries and started the trucks,” Khan said.
Khan welcomed the recent drive led by Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar and MMC to remove abandoned vehicles but questioned the intention and completeness of the campaign.
“It’s good that the MLA launched a drive with the MMC to tow away scrapped vehicles which are taking up valuable parking and make the area look bad. They removed some small cars and bikes, but why didn’t they see these massive trucks lying here for over a year?” Khan asked.
“There is garbage piled below these trucks causing major obstruction during peak hours. Is this drive only for the poor and not for vehicles belonging to big companies? Rules should be the same for everyone. The MLA should intervene and ensure these trucks are removed. The garbage below the trucks must be cleared by the company at their own cost,” he said.
He further added, “The company kept silent all these days and is suddenly trying to get the trucks started and even brought in cranes. This shows they were playing with the people and the law, which is unacceptable.”
Later in the day, MMC chairperson Girish Borker visited the site and dismissed the allegations, stating that the council had already taken action and the matter was being addressed in a phased manner.
“It is easy to criticise but difficult to appreciate good work. We have launched a drive to clear abandoned vehicles from within MMC limits and received tremendous public support. We have already removed many abandoned cars and bikes from various locations in Vasco,” Borker said.
He clarified the limitations faced during the drive, saying, “We are using a small vehicle from the traffic department which can only lift small vehicles, not such huge trucks. It’s not that we ignored the trucks. We wrote to the company and informed them about our drive and their responsibility to remove the trucks.”
“The company immediately assured us of their support. We had meetings with them, and they began working today to start the trucks. The company informed us that there were documentation issues, and that’s why the trucks had been lying there. They have assured us that by Monday all documentation will be complete and the trucks will be cleared, latest by Wednesday,” said Borker.
He further added, “This mining company has always contributed to the development of Vasco and shares a cordial relationship with the people. If they have come forward and promised to clear the area by Wednesday, we should give them that chance.”
Borker reiterated that the drive will continue without bias.
“I want to make it clear that the drive will continue and no abandoned vehicles — big or small — will be allowed to remain anywhere within MMC limits,” he said.
