MARGAO
When the imposing South Goa Collectorate building, later rechristened as Matanhy Saldanha Administrative complex, was inaugurated by Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar in February 2013, authorities has promised to shift all revenue offices and other services functioning from the Old Collectorate building to the spacious multi-storied structure within three months.
No doubt, the administration complied with the late Chief Minister’s diktat when the functioning of the Collectorate, the seat of the district revenue administration, was shifted to the new building.
The district Treasury office, however, is an exception. In fact, it’s now 12 long years since the new Collectorate building was commissioned with much fanfare in February 2013, but the district treasury continues to operate from the Old Collectorate building near the Margao Municipal garden.
Located on the ground floor of the Old Collectorate building, the district treasury, which is equipped with a strong room facility, is still housed in the Old Collectorate for reasons best known to the revenue and Collectorate officials.
Interestingly, a look at the host of services and amenities offered in the new Collectorate building would show that the new building does have a provision for Stamp Vending treasury with a strong room, throwing up a question or two over the decade old delay in shifting the treasury office in the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative complex.
What’s the reason behind the long delay in shifting the treasury office to the new Collectorate building? Is water seepage issue in the basement of the new building a cause? If the reply is in the positive, the administration may have to face another query – did the administration have time during the last 12 year initiated measures to plug the water seepage issues?
When The Goan spoke to the officials and staff manning the district treasury housed at the Old Collectorate building on the issue, they were frank in admitting they have no idea why the treasury office is still not shifted to the new Collectorate building, with an employee saying there were water seepage issues in the strong room of the new building.
When contacted to shed light on the reasons behind the delay in shifting the treasury office to the new building, South Goa Additional Collector, Srinet Kothwale sought to attribute the delay to the water seepage issues facing the basement of the new building.
The Additional Collector, however, has hastened to add that the district Administration will soon take up the issue of repairs to plug the water seepage in the basement meant to house the treasury office.
“The South Goa district Collectorate building will soon undergo repair and maintenance. The issues facing the strong room will be resolved. After the completion of the work, the treasury will be shifted to the new revenue administrative complex”, he added.
