MARGAO
In fact, Team Tawde & his Margao Municipal Council administration, which mobilised around 150 municipal supervisors and workers to host the Carnival float parade on Sunday, has a task to cut out to clear the encroachments from the city footpaths and pavements, which have surfaced right under the nose of the civic authorities.
That encroachers are having a field day in the city is evident by the fact that they have now surfaced right alongside the road abutting the Municipal drains after encroaching the pavements and passages. Leave alone the municipal markets, including the congested New market or the Gandhi market, encroachments have raised its ugly head across the city, outside shops and business establishments with the municipal authorities turning a blind eye to the illegalities.
Inquiries have revealed that Chief Officer Y B Tawde and his team have been virtually limping when it comes to tackling encroachments head on under the excuse of manpower shortage and space constraint to store the seized goods. In fact, instead of catching the bull by the horn, Team Tawde’s report card on the encroachment front has been dismal, with even city ward Councillor Damu Naik expressing his unhappiness over the emerging developments in the city. “Owners of shops and establishments are literally displaying their goods and wares right on the passages and pavements in defiance of the Municipality. I had tried to convince the business owners to keep the pavements free for the public to move, but in vain,” Damu said.
Encroachments have reached alarming proportions across the city ever since the election code of conduct had come into force in January, with hardly any anti-encroachment drives taking place in the city in the last two months. Inquiries have revealed that the municipal inspectors have only conducted cosmetic anti-encroachment drives during the last two months, indicating that Team Tawde & Co have turned a blind eye to the rampant illegalities in the city.
When The Goan called up Chief Officer Y B Tawde to shed light on the rampant illegalities and encroachments in the city, he conceded that encroachments are on the
rise and has promised to initiate action.
He, however, pointed out that his market inspectors are presently preoccupied with the ongoing survey of liqour bars and restaurants.
“I have been told that the number of encroachers as well as encroachments have witnessed a rise. I will issue necessary orders to the concerned officials to crack a whip and rid the passages and pavements of encroachments,” Tawde said.
