Team Goemkarponn
PERNEM: The collapse of a ceiling slab at the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) office in Pernem, which injured clerk Sujay Gawade, has brought the Public Works Department (PWD) under fire for alleged negligence and inaction despite repeated warnings.
According to the Deputy Collector, multiple letters had earlier been addressed to PWD engineers, flagging serious cracks in several portions of the ceiling and seeking urgent structural repairs.
However, no preventive measures were undertaken. The Deputy Collector stated that despite the visible deterioration of the building, the PWD failed to act in time to avert the incident.
Sources said that when questioned after the mishap, PWD engineers claimed that the repair proposal was “under process,” a response that has drawn sharp criticism from officials and the public alike, especially in view of the injury caused to an on-duty staff member.
On Tuesday, Mandrem former Sarpanch Prashant Naik, along with Pernem locals, met the Deputy Collector and demanded immediate shifting of the CDPO office to a safer location.
Terming the incident a result of official apathy, Naik said the collapse could have led to a major tragedy.
“If the office is not shifted within the next 10 days, we will launch an andolan over this issue,” Naik warned, blaming the PWD for ignoring repeated alerts and endangering lives.
The incident has triggered demands for fixing responsibility within the PWD and conducting a structural audit of the building.
Meanwhile, the injured clerk received medical treatment, and the administration is expected to take a call on alternative arrangements for the functioning of the CDPO office.
