MARGAO
Law Minister Nilesh Cabral, who also holds the PWD portfolio, offered his apology for the state of the Margao Civil and Criminal court building, promising to take up the repair work on priority when there’s a dry spell.
While saying it is embarrassing to find the court building covered with plastic sheets and that he has not seen any house in Goa covered with a plastic sheet, Cabral, however, stated that the PWD had issued the NOC as per a request from a Judge.
He further pointed out that he had issued an expenditure sanction for the work of covering the court building with plastic sheets since the Judge had asked for the NOC.
Making his presence felt at the Margao Civil and Criminal Court building after lawyers stayed away from the court on Wednesday morning, Cabral told the lawyers that he is sorry for what has happened, saying he is aware of the problem and promised to take up the repair during the dry spell.
“Covering the building with plastic sheets is embarrassing for me. I have not seen any house covered with plastic sheets. I could not refuse the NOC since it was asked by a Judge,” he said.
He added: “Bear with me for some time, till I get sunny days. The moment there is a dry spell, the PWD will take up the work even without a tender since I have that much power to do the work.”
Attributing the delay in taking the repair work to the old GSR rates, Cabral said he is personally on the job to revise the GSR rates as the State’s PWD Minister.
No takers for work on new building
because of old GSR rates: Cabral
MARGAO:
Stating that the government has not abandoned work on the new court building at the district court complex, Law & PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral told members of the South Goa Advocates Association that work on the new building has come to a stop since there are no takers for the work because of the old GSR rates.
He told the city-based lawyers that the work on the new building was tendered three years ago, but no one has come forward to execute the work.
“Tendering of the work is not an issue. Since the rates are old, no contractor is coming forward to take up the work. As the State’s PWD Minister, I am working out the new rates for the buildings. I will change the rates and tender the work once the new rates are brought into force,” Cabral assured.
