MARGAO
The Salcete Sub-Registrar’s office witnessed an uproar after applicants for birth certificates, some of whom who had to stand in a queue from as early as 5 am on Tuesday, had to return home disappointed without getting their documents.
There were other applicants who claimed they have been doing the rounds of the Sub-Registrar’s office for the last four days, but are not able to get their birth certificates.
The applicants raised an uproar before the office could close for the day by questioning the Sub- Regisrar Domingos Martins for the failure of the office to issue them their birth certificates despite armed with tokens.
A woman from Canacona told The Goan that she had come to the office as early as 5 in the morning with the hope of getting her birth certificate, but in vain. “Some of us came here as early as 5 am to stand in the queue with the hope of getting our birth certificates. Even at 5 pm, no birth certificate issued to me citing a non-functional Internet and other issues,” she added.
John Costa, a resident of Nuvem echoed similar sentiments. Demanding that the government intervene in the matter and stop the harassment meted out to the citizens of Salcete, Costa said, “Sub-Registrar says the staff in the births and deaths section does not listen to him since it comes under the department of Planning and Statistics. I had come to the Sub-Registrar office at 6 am. At least, I come from a nearby area, but there are applicants who come from far-away places such as Canacona. The government should act immediately,” John demanded.
A resident of Margao Xavier Fernandes cried foul over the pathetic state of affairs at the office. “The Sub-Registrar says my birth documents are not available in the office. This despite the fact that I have done my schooling and college with the help of the birth certificate issued by the same office,” he lamented.
Xavier slammed the registration authorities for the delay in implementing the Reconstruction Act. “I had collected a form under the Reconstruction Act, but till date there’s no sign of the office implementing the Act,” he said. I have even petitioned the Chief Secretary seeking his intervention in the problem, but from there too there is no response, he lamented. “What am I supposed to do in such a situation?” Xavier questioned, demanding to know whether the government will act only after the citizens knock the doors of the judiciary.
Sub-Registar Martins said he has already apprised his head office of the situation in the births and death sections. “I have also conveyed to the Director, Planning and Statistics, the ground reality the steps needed to rectify the situation,” he added.
