Goemkarponn desk
MARGAO: The suggestions of Shadow Council for Margao, for the setting up of Covid facilities in Margao has become a subject of interest for Madgaonkars, more specially the properties/premises which the Margao Municipal Council owns.
SCM on Saturday through representations to the Chief Minister, South Goa Collector and MMC Chief Officer had suggested 3 premises for the setting up of Covid facilities viz. Municipal owned premises at Malbhat, MCC ground near ESI hospital and BPS club in Pajifond. Later on the same day the 3 local MLAs Digamber Kamat, Vijai Sardessai and Reginald Lourenco had a meeting with the Chief Officer of MMC and announced that they intend to set up 2 COVID facilities at Navelim Stadium and Fatorda Stadium.
However, what has opened up the eye’s of the general public is the fact that a ground plus one structure in Malbhat, behind Apollo Hospital, which is owned by the MMC and the Council is in total darkness as to who is in possession of the same. The SCM has demanded that the chief Officer check’s upon the same and take possession of the premises so as to facilitate a vaccination center there.
Another revelation by the Shadow Council is that the MCC grounds admeasuring over 40000 sq mts which originally belonged to the Margao Municipal Council, but the Council has no ownership papers of the same. This fact has surely ruffled many feathers as several big names are in possession of these premises in the form of Margao Cricket Club.
While the BPS club in Pajifond, which is under private management and conducting sports activities and a lot of commercial activities, has been provided government fund’s for improvement works.
SCM Convener Savio Coutinho said that we had to come out with suggestions as we found our authorities loss of ideas, at a time when people were dying, hunting for admission to hospitals.
“When the first wave came, everything was taken lightly and hence these problems people are facing. And when the third wave is expected, we have to be prepared with adequate facilities”, Coutinho stated.
Realizing these facts, the government has to get into serious action and prepare for the worst, Coutinho states further.
It will be interesting to see if the Council and the government considers to tap these public/semi-public premises so as to prepare for any untoward situation in the event of the third wave sets in.
