the goan I network
PANAJI
In a nine-page reply submitted to the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) on Tuesday, the MD and CEO of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL), in an affidavit, denied that IPSCDL had “recklessly dug the roads in Ribandar, endangering the lives and property of residents.”
IPSCDL’s affidavit, asked for by the commission by May 29, was in response to the complaint of Adv Aires Rodrigues which stated that IPSCDL had recklessly dug the roads in
Ribandar.
Swayandipta Pal Chaudhuri, MD and CEO of IPSCDL, claimed that the works being undertaken by IPSCDL are “citizen centric,” and have “a direct impact on the real needs of the people to ensure enhancement of quality of lives of the c
itizens.”
Further, the CEO, has gone on the claim that it is Adv Rodrigues who is “unaware of the prevailing ground conditions in the said locality.”
According to Chaudhuri, Rodrigues’ intentions of filing the complaint are to hinder the works being carried out by IPSCDL.
Chaudhuri also said that the reason IPSCDL had gone ahead with the works of underground cabling in the months of April/May is because there was “an urgency in execution of the project before the monsoons as dangling wires would snap the lines and lead to frequent power failure.”
As stated by IPSCDL, the project involves installation of 10 compact sub stations. The contractor started the work on April 10 at Ribandar with “digging, trenching and laying of cables in full swing to ensure the work in completed by May 15.”
Admitting that pipes like water pipes and telephone cables of the residents had gotten damaged during IPSCDL’s digging, Chaudhuri attributed this to “inadvertance.”
He states that these were restored, and “every complaint was addressed to the complete satisfaction of the citizens of Ribandar.” Thirteen complaints were received via a whatsapp
helpline.
Meanwhile, R Menaka IAS, the collector of North Goa, another respondent in the case, has explained in detail in a six-page reply to the GHRC, all the steps that were followed and will be followed to ensure that all works are stopped completely, and roads restored completely before May 30 (today.)
She has also enclosed previous orders by the former collector where IPSCDL was issued stop work orders and instructed to get written permission.
The Chief Secretary, who is the third respondent in the case, has forwarded the responses of both IPSCDL’s CEO and the Collector to the GHRC. Member of the GHRC is set to issue an order in the case shortly.
