MARGAO: The South Goa district hospital stands commissioned during the weekend, with health authorities shifting five patients from the ESI hospital to the new hospital, but without the occupancy certificate.
The hospital has also been commissioned without the mandatory final NOC from the Fire Services Department. And, while the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) commissioned the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) on Monday, it will take some time for the bacteria to grow and treatment of the sewage waste likely to take place during the weekend. The GSIDC is expected to formally apply to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for consent to operate the STP.
GSIDC officials pointed out that the agency has already sent a letter to the Director of Municipal Administration, Dr Tariq Thomas, stating that the occupancy certificate may be issued by the MMC by either waiving the payment of construction license fees or by accepting the proposal for deferred payments.
When contacted by The Goan, DMA Dr Thomas said the GSIDC letter will be forwarded to the Margao Municipal Council to seek the Civic body’s comments before taking any decision. “The Margao Municipal Council is an autonomous body and any decision on payments of construction licenses and issue of occupancy certificate for any building rests with the local Civic body”, Dr Thomas said, adding that he would forward the GSIDC letter to the MMC and seek the Civic body’s inputs on the matter.
Sources in the MMC said the civic body is yet to receive a representation or letter from any authority to issue the occupancy certificate for the district hospital building, with an official saying that any decision on waiver or deferred payments will have to be placed before the council meeting for an appropriate decision.
On the final NOC for the building from the Fire Services, sources said that fire officials had inspected the district hospital building, the final fire NOC has still not come from the Fire Services even though health officials have started shifting COVID patients in the new hospital building.
A GSIDC official pointed out that the first three floors of the district hospital building are all fire compliant, but hastened to add that certain changes suggested by the fire officials will be immediately complied with by the agency.
