the goan I network
OLD GOA
Is Chimbel a part of Panaji city? This question was raised as digging work undertaken in Chimbel, as part of the Panaji Smart City Project, on Thursday was immediately halted by angry locals as panchayat authorities were also kept in the dark.
The digging work was done to lay optic fibre cables towards the Chimbel panchayat building to avail broadband connectivity.
What upset the locals was that the road where the digging activity was done was repaired only 15 days ago.
“This road was repaired only 15 days back thereby giving a huge relief to the locals using it and today, we saw workers of L&T Construction undertaking digging work to lay optic fibre cables,” informed an upset John Pereira, president of committee of Our Lady of Livra Febres Chapel.
“We immediately asked the workers to stop the work as we came to know that the digging work was undertaken as part of the Smart City Project of Panaji. Does Chimbel come under Panaji,” asked Pereira.
Stating that the feast of the chapel is scheduled on Sunday, May 12, Pereira added: “This digging work will cause inconvenience to devotees as it has been done near the wall of the chapel.”
The Goan was also informed that a water pipeline was ruptured at many places due to the digging work, thereby affecting water supply to nearby households.
When contacted, Chimbel Sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar said when the road digging work was brought to his notice on Wednesday evening, he immediately sent a letter to the Old Goa police asking them to act against the contractor for undertaking the work without informing the panchayat authorities.
“I had also asked the staff of the contractor to produce documents to the panchayat but the same has not been submitted as yet,” he
added.
Kunkolkar also sought to know how the Panaji Smart City Project could be undertaken in Chimbel and that too, without intimating the panchayat.
St Cruz MLA caught unawares
OLD GOA: St Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes came down heavily on authorities for keeping him as well as the Chimbel panchayat in the dark about digging work undertaken in Chimbel as part of the Panaji Smart City Project.
“I have been kept completely in dark about the work. When works of the Panaji Smart City Project are done beyond the jurisdiction of Panaji city, the local MLA and panchayat authorities should be informed,” Fernandes stated.
He also expressed dismay that the road which was repaired only 15 days back has been dug again, causing inconvenience to the people.
