MARGAO
The controversial proposal to set up a restaurant atop the multilevel parking lot has died a natural death after the proposed parking lot failed to take off due to a lack of bidders.
The Margao Municipal Council now seems to be making a strong pitch for a cafeteria inside the iconic Municipal Garden, officially known as the Aga Khan Children's Park.
Last time, when the proposal had come up at the Municipal Council meeting, many eyebrows were raised over the proposal, including the question of how the BJP-ruled civic body had suddenly realised the need for a cafeteria inside the iconic garden.
The matter is now listed for the Margao Municipal Council meeting scheduled for December 3, wherein the proposal for the construction of a cafeteria will be deliberated and decided by the Margao City Fathers.
Incidentally, the multilevel parking proposal will also figure at the Council meeting, as the civic body is expected to propose hydraulic parking, since there were no takers for the construction of a concrete parking lot.
Questions are being raised in the corridors of the Municipal building and outside as to how the civic body has suddenly realised the need for a cafeteria inside the iconic garden.
Incidentally, the long-pending proposal to set up a Dada Dadi and Nana Nani park inside the Agha Khan park seems to have long been forgotten in the corridors of the Municipal building.
Questions are also being raised about whether the MMC will factor in the acute parking issue plaguing the garden when the proposal comes up for deliberation at the December 8 Council meeting.
Meanwhile, former Margao Municipal Chief Savio Coutinho has said that the cafeteria in the garden is once again back on the MMC meeting agenda. "It looks like the proposer of the restaurant in the multilevel parking facility is still lobbying with the powers that be for the allotment of municipal premises for a restaurant," he said.
He added: "Very interestingly, there is absolutely no mention of the future course of action against the staff who misappropriated Rs 18 lakh, and what steps are being undertaken to recover the money. It is also clear now how political leaders are supporting the fraudster, who has already been granted bail, while the Council is not keen on his termination."
