the goan I network
VASCO
The proposed installation of a 100-foot pole to hoist the National Flag outside the Vasco railway station was stalled on Tuesday, causing a considerable flutter among Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) councillors.
According to information, a proposal to have a fully automated National Flag outside the railway station and maintenance of the Joshi Chowk garden was proposed by MMC Councillor Krishna Salkar to railway authorities, who got the proposal approved and also forwarded a copy requesting the MMC to grant permission for the works.
Sources said MMC Chairperson Nandadeep Raut had also given verbal consent to railway authority to go ahead with the flag hoisting.
When railway authorities began work to get a crane to install the huge flag pole, Vasco police received some oral complaints and allegedly stopped the work, while also asking authorities to produce documents for the work.
With the work stopped, railway authorities contacted Salkar, who was out of town, and his wife Shammi Salkar along with another Councillor Rochana Borker went to the police station to find who had complained against the installation of the flag.
While demanding a copy of the complaint, they felt the stoppage of work could be due to politics between the ruling and opposition councillors
PI Nilesh Rane was out of the police station on official work and other police staff said there had been an oral complaint.
Speaking to reporters outside the police station, Shammi Salkar said: “We had verbal permission from MMC chairperson and railway authorities have got this project approved.”
“We only wanted to have a big National flag in Vasco like that at Dabolim airport, where the sight of the flag itself can instil national pride. Republic Day is fast approaching and hence, railway authorities wanted to complete the work soon.”
MMC Councillor Rochana Borker said it looked to be a political move because details of the complainant were not provided and yet, the works were stopped.
“The MMC chairperson also said he would put the matter up for a meeting but till date this has not happened,” Borker said.
MMC Chairperson Nandadeep Raut said he was unaware who had telephonically complained to Vasco police, which led to a halt in the work.
“I had given oral consent to the project and even told Salkar to write to MMC about the proposal. He made a copy on December 31, 2019, and I had also put a note to place the matter before a meeting.”
“I feel that all councillors would support the cause as it is a national flag. I will however take this up at the meeting and get the project approved,” said Raut.
Work later allowed to go ahead: Police
VASCO: Stating that the police had received as many as six calls on 100 claiming that some illegal works were going on in the park outside the Vasco railway station, a source in the Vasco police station said the work was later allowed to go ahead.
“We told the complainant to approach the MMC but the caller said there was no one in MMC and insisted that we check the documents for the works and accordingly, we told the people at the site to stop the work and show the documents.”
“Later, the councillors told us the works were taken up by the railways and they had MMC approval. Since two departments were involved, the matter was closed and we later told them that they could go ahead with the project,” the source said.
