MARGAO
With the State administration sounding a red alert predicting heavy rains, members of the South Goa Advocates Association may stay away from the court proceedings in the Margao Civil and Criminal Court on Wednesday, but for a different reason.
What has agitated the lawyers to take the step is the pathetic state of affairs of the Margao Civil and Criminal Court building, with water seepage in the building literally the order of the day. Members of the Bar were also angry following reports that water seepage was noticed in the chamber of a Judge.
The South Goa Advocates Association, which had its extraordinary general body meeting on Tuesday has decided to stay away from the proceedings in the Civil and Criminal Court building on Wednesday to highlight the sorry state of affairs in the building.
A delegation of the association, sources said, is believed to have called on the Judges at the District Court building to convey their unhappiness over the water seepage into the Civil and Criminal Court building.
"We are not protesting over the situation per se, but have decided not to attend the court hearings to highlight the important issue. In view of the red alert sounded by the administration, warning of heavy rains, there may be an untoward incident in the building,” a lawyer informed.
The Margao Civil and Court building at Old market has been in the news after the authorities were forced to cover the building roof with plastic sheets to prevent water seepage. The heavy rains that lashed the State last week had seen waterlogging in the court corridors.
Lawyers pointed out that the authorities are only carrying piecemeal repairs after the attention of the seepage when the entire building has been craving attention.
While the maintenance of the upkeep and maintenance of the building falls in the domain of the PWD, officials have claimed that though the PWD had floated a tender, there were no takers for the same, with contractors staying away from works due to non-revision of GSR rates.
