CANACONA
The Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) on Monday unanimously resolved shut down all nine scrapyards operating in different ward areas of Canacona municipality.
The CMC also resolved to write to the Canacona Dy Collector to ascertain if a jackfruit tree at the old bus stand in Chaudi-Canacona poses any threat to public, even as environmentalists have objected to moves to chop down the iconic tree.
SCRAPYARDS
Councillors have demanded action against all scrapyards in the municipality, on grounds that these scrapyards have become sites for illegalities and pose a serious hazard for vector-borne diseases in the areas.
The councillors also alleged most of these scrapyards are located either amid residential areas or very close to residential localities.
JACKFRUIT TREE
Two councillors objected to plans by the council to chop down the iconic jackfruit tree at the old bus stand in Chaudi on grounds that it had become old and dangerous to public.
Councillors Shubham Komarpanpant and Dhiraj alias Pandurang Naikgaunkar demanded an inspection of the tree and other measures to maintain the tree if it at all posed any danger to public.
“The tree may be old, but it is very alive and it should be maintained at all costs. There are different methods to safeguard the tree. As a final resort, if the tree has to be felled, then a new tree should be planted at its place, but at no circumstances should this centrally located place should be utilised for any other use other than for a tree,” insisted Naikgaunkar.
Responding to speculations that the site may be used to erect the statue of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, Naikgaunkar said there were many other places in the town to erect such a statue.
Finally, a resolution was passed to write to the Deputy Collector to carry out an inspection of the jackfruit tree and to ascertain if it posed any threat to the public. Some councillors have offered to invite forest officers and environmentalists to suggest and initiate ways and measures to maintain the tree.
SOPO COLLECTION
The council passed a unanimous resolution to increase Sopo collection by 10%. The CMC will also conduct an enquiry into sub-letting of municipal shops and failure to pay municipal taxes. Councillor Shubham Komarpant pointed out that none of the shops at the KTC bus stand complex are paying trade licenses fees for the last 20 years.
“This is a major scam and a complete failure of the council, as income has gone down the drains for so many years,” said Komarpant, while demanding an immediate assessment of these shops and action to recover these trade license fees from these many shops in KTC Complex.
The CMC meeting was chaired by CMC Chairperson Ramakant Naikgaunkar and those present at the meeting included Vice-Chairperson Narcisco Fernandes, Councillors Dhiraj Naikgaonkar, Simon Rebello, Amita Pagui, Laxuman Pagui, Gandesh Madgavkar, Sara NaikDesai, Hemant Kumar Naikgaonkar, Supriya Dessai, as well as Chief Officer Ashwini Bhagat and Municipal Engineer Dilkush Gaonkar.
