MARGAO
In the midst of a big facelift for the historic Lohia Maidan, an imposing building, once the seat of the South Goa Comunidades, literally resembles an eyesore.
Even as the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA)-appointed contractor is rushing to complete the beautification at the Lohia Maidan, ahead of the Goa Revolution Day, realisation has suddenly dawned that while the historic place has finally received the long-awaited facelift, the imposing comunidade building, surrounding the west and southern portion of the Lohia Maidan is in a dilapidated state.
Consider this. A casual look at the comunidade building from the Lohia Maidan shows that the windows of the adjoining comunidade building are either broken and damaged. The glass panes of a couple of windows also lie in a damaged state.
That’s not all. One could see with naked eye plants growth on the top floor of the comunidade building, indicating the building has not received any attention since the district Collector, South had shifted the office of the Comunidade Administrator to the old Collectorate building around two years ago.
As the powers be and the government authorities brace up to unveil the new look Lohia Maidan on Goa Revolution Day on June 18, questions are raised whether the imposing comunidade building will be cleaned up, at least with a white wash on the walls facing the Maidan?
In fact, the Administrator of Comunidades building has been craving for attention over the years. Incidentally, a structural stability report compiled by the Goa College of Engineering had pointed out that the building can be rehabilitated with repairs, but the report has been gathering dust in the record books of the comunidade authorities over the last two years.
An official of the Administrator of Comunidades, South Goa, however, told The Goan that the government has now given administrative approval to undertake the repair work. He, however, said it’s now up to the Components of Comunidade of South Goa to give the nod for the estimates before the work is entrusted to the PWD.
