South Goa Administrator of Communidade building in a decrepit state
Opposite Lohia Maidan in Margao stands a faded yellowbuilding, its façade decrepit, the stairwells dimly lit. It is one of the fewPortuguese era buildings that stood the test of time in Goa. But due to themyopic view of the state government and the managing committee, the 51-year-oldSouth Goa Administrator of Communidade building is left to rot. Well almost!
Just 14 steps from the entrance of the building, lastpainted around 12 years ago, a visitor is greeted by a defaced floor paintedwith bird droppings. After climbing the remaining 32 steps, the visitor willnotice the dirty toilets. A leaking roof, broken windows and dirty floors greetcitizens, who enter into the office.
The South Goa Administrator of Communidade ensures that themanaging committee of the 90 respective communidades function within the ambitof the Communidade code. Besides this, shareholders who have been allottedplots have to get an approval from administrator and collectorreceptively.
Administrator of communidade acts has a mediator between allrespective communidades and the Revenue Department of Goa.
He also acts as overall supervisory body to all respectivecommunidades and is engaged with prominent role of conducting election.
Pravin Barad, the administrator of Communidades wears anexasperated look when asked about the condition of the office. “The mediashould come during the monsoon to see the condition of office and how the stafffaces hardship due to rain water seeping into the building. I had twice writtento the district Collector and the PWD about the state of the building. One monthago the PWD had a meeting on its status, but I am skeptical. Estimates havebeen prepared but never executed,” Barad said.
The authorities have failed to carry out repairs to thebuilding, despite the fact that water seepage inside the building has been anannual affair for the last six years.
Barad’s frustration is justified. Besides being responsiblefor his staff and the people visiting the office, he is also responsible forthe precious records stored in the office. He stated that two years ago he hadproposed that the building be painted, but the managing committee objected toit. “Neither is the government willing to carry out repairs nor is the managingcommittee permitting the renovation,” the administrator said.
“Since the new district collectorate has sufficient space,the communidade office should be shifted there or it should be totallyrevamped, as it has sufficient space,” said Nazareth Barreto, a local fromVerna. However, Barad said that there was no such plan as yet, to shift the communidadeoffice to the new South Goa Collectorate.
Barretto also complained about the attitude of thecommundidade staff, as very rude. Not a single staff member in the South GoaAdministrator of Communidade office was cooperative, he added.
