MARGAO
In a major embarrassment for officials of the South Goa Administrator of Comunidades and revenue authorities, a Citizens Initiative on Saturday helped to clear the wild growth of plants and trees on the over five-decade old Administrator of Comunidades building.
Apart from posing a danger to the imposing building, a major landmark in the commercial capital, the growth of wild plants and trees had turned the huge structure “ once the seat of Comunidade administration, an eyesore.
On Saturday evening, as part of a Citizens Initiative, Tiatr artist Domnic Fernandes and Shadow Council for Margao convener Savio Coutinho, embarked upon the clearing of wild growth of trees on the Comunidade building. By engaging a crane and workers, the trees that had grown on the facade of the Comunidade building were cleared. A coat of caustic soda was applied to the roots embedded in the walls to prevent fresh shoots from evolving.
Domnic Fernandes, a resident from Raia, said that the Comunidade building which belongs to the entire Salcete needed proper attention, and hence thought of contributing his might towards the same. He recollected the earlier days when they used to get their agricultural produce here, and said that he considered this as his own house.
SCM convener Savio Coutinho said that there are many structures of historical significance in Margao, but sadly, these structures are badly ignored and left to face the vagaries of nature. Naming the structures, Coutinho appealed to the government and the representatives of Margao and Fatorda to give their attention to the ancestral house of Dr Francisco Luis Gomes at Colmorod, the Old Camara building at old market and the Comunidade building in the heart of the city.
“The state of the Comunidade building has been repeatedly making news in the media, but for some reason or the other, the work of repairs is delayed. “Domnic and myself have been visiting the authorities concerned to prevail upon them to speed up the repair work as there is a strong fear that the building could collapse,” Coutinho said.
