MARGAO
Migrants virtually enjoy a free run behind the Margao Municipal building, with the Municipal and police authorities turning a blind eye to the nuisance around the traffic island and along the road.
In fact, the traffic island maintained by Furtado’s bar and restaurant, is being literally converted into a makeshift restaurant by unscrupulous food suppliers early every morning. That’s not all. There’s still no respite to the nuisance caused by the migrants, mostly daily-wage workers, who loiter behind the Municipal building in search of a daily wage job.
That there’s been complaints from the establishment owners against the nuisance as the labourers take shelter right in front of the shops, have not prompted the Men in uniform to step in.
Even efforts made by public spirited citizens, including city-based doctors, with a plea to the police to crack down on the nuisance has failed to evoke positive response from the police force and the Margao municipality.
Owner of Furtado’s bar and restaurant, Erry Furtado told The Goan that though he had drawn attention of the civic authorities to the nuisance created by the migrants, action has not been forthcoming from the authorities. “The Municipality had awarded the traffic triangle behind the MMC building to me for maintenance. While I have taken care to ensure that the island is maintained as per the norms, the Municipal authorities have been dragging its feet to order a clamp down on the miscreants,” he said.
Furtado pointed that the triangle has been converted into a make shift restaurant early morning with a food contractor serving breakfast to dozens of customers at the spot.
Most of the migrant labourers are engaged in masonry and daily jobs and contractors pick them up from the road behind the Margao Municipal building. Though this daily wage job market has been going on for years now, the activity has now increased manifold with migrants swarming the entire area for want of action from the Municipal and police authorities.
