VASCO
Acting on a report in The Goan highlighting the plight of people walking over a narrow wooden plank to visit offices on the first floor of the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) administrative building, an embarrassed MMC was quick to appoint a watchman to prevent staff and public from using the dangerous access.Responding to The Goan report, MMC Chairperson Leo Rodrigues clarified that the wooden plank access was only meant for workers of the contractor and MMC staff were using it as a shortcut.
"We were shocked by the news because this wooden plank access was meant only for workers of the contractor and not for staff of visitors. We have already stopped people from using this access and we have appointed a watchman near the area, because there is another access leading to the offices and this access was being used as a shortcut,” said Rodrigues.
“The entire MMC building is being renovated and we have already shifted most of our department to the ground floor and that includes some departments and even the chambers of the chairperson.”
“The staff can use the staircase and the other access routes, but no one will be allowed to use the access for labourers.”
Rodrigues said the MMC has already shifted the accounts and technical sections to the ground floor and only the taxation section is located on the first floor.
“This section will also be shifted to the ground floor from October 1. Once this is done, all MMC sections will be housed on the ground floor of the building so that the works on the second floor can be taken at ease," said Rodrigues.
It may be recalled that The Goan Everyday had reported on Monday how people had been walking on a narrow wooden plank on the first floor which has construction debris, with little protection to prevent falling off the first floor.
