MARGAO
The PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral has come clear on the repairs and restoration of the South Goa Administration of Comunidades building, saying the government will hand over the building to the comunidades after the restoration and it is purely for the Comunidade bodies what to do with the building.
This became evident after a meeting between the components of Comunidades and the PWD Minister, wherein it has been decided to hold a joint inspection of the building how to go about the job.
After the meeting, the PWD Minister sought to allay apprehensions that the government may lay claim on the over six-decade old building after its repairs and restoration. “We don’t want the building. The government has enough buildings to take care of. I have told the delegation of South Goa Comunidades Forum to take a call on the contributions they have to make on the repairs and restoration work. If they cannot make the contributions, the government will take a call. But, the Comunidades will have to take a call. One thing is clear the government will repair and hand over the building to the Comunidades. It is then for the local comunidades what to do with the building,” he said, adding that the PWD will go ahead with the tendering process once the final estimates are ready.
President of South Goa Comunidades Forum Franky Monteiro said the purpose of the meeting with the PWD minister was to discuss the deteriorating condition of the Administrator of Comunidades building and how to go about the restoration work.
Franky informed that the PWD Minister has categorically assured the Forum, that if the government takes up the repair work, the ownership of the building will remain with the comunidade bodies.
Given the situation, a joint inspection of the imposing building is now planned during the weekend, wherein the PWD is scheduled to explain the estimates pegged around Rs 2.83 crore and also discuss how the government intends to go about the job.
