Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral said that he cannot say cant say whether Panaji city would flood or not.
“Cabral said that his department cannot clean the drains this year as they are much deeper. He said that the buildings and roads have come over them. “I can’t say.”,” said Cabral
Cabral said that he cannot make any statement over whether or not Panaji will be flooded during the monsoons. The old drains are lined with thick layer of silt and working with them becomes difficult as their plans and drawings are not available, said Cabral.
“I cannot do it now. This year it is not possible,” he lamented. He however assured that PWD will work with CCP after the monsoons to desilt the drains and take measures to avoid flooding. “Smart City work is being carried out not by PWD but by GSUDA. I have intervened as the issue has gone out of proportion,”he added
He went on to claim that PWD has completed the work assigned to it as part of smart city work.
Mayor Rohit Monserrate said, “It has been flooding for past 20 years. It will take few more years for the work to be done. We have done whatever is possible there is nothing more that we can do as of now.”
Meanwhile, Cabral urged citizens to use PWD app to post photos of potholes so that they can be repaired.
“Engineers from all the departments and agencies are communicating and coordinating with each other to resolve all issues and hopefully get ready before the rains hit,” Cabral said, adding however that challenges exist.
Monserrate also appeared on the same page as Cabral saying, “Panaji has been flooding for past 20 years. It will take few more years for the work to be done. We have done whatever is possible and there is nothing more that we can do as of now.”
Meanwhile, Cabral urged citizens to use PWD app to post photos of potholes so that they can be repaired.
