No periodic maintenance carried out in last 20 years; one building declared unsafe
VASCO
While the police force in Mormugao taluka are expected to be in top form and their equipment in top gear, their housing quarters at Chicalim are far from being in top
condition.
With pieces of the ceiling falling apart, cracked walls, damaged window panes, leaking roofs and broken doors, living in the quarters has become a risk to human life and in some cases inmates and children have narrowly escaped serious injuries.
Constructed about 20 years ago, these police quarters have missed out on periodic maintenance and as a result the police squads and their families are now living in squalid conditions.
What has worried residents in those quarters is that one of the buildings has already been declared unsafe for habitation.
"The PWD is not maintaining the quarters. Portions of the ceiling of one building are giving way," complained an anxious resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"A fellow resident's three-year-old child nearly missed death after a portion of a ceiling came crashing down on the bed where he used to sleep. By sheer luck, the neighbours had taken him to their house to play when the incident took place. A piece of ceiling fell on the bed when the resident was cooking in the kitchen and for a split second she thought he was gone and screamed in fright," added the resident.
According to a policeman, pieces of basement pillars are already giving way.
"We are at God's mercy. Any untoward incident can take place any time. We are expected to work beyond our best to serve the police department and when we come home looking for peace of mind and a good night's sleep, we are confronted with the sight of leaking roofs, cracking walls and windows devoid of panes," lamented the policeman.
"We fear for our lives, but no one is concerned about our safety. We cannot even talk on camera or we may be targeted," the policeman added.
According to a source, the ceilings of most quarters are leaking and window panes of most flats are broken, providing easy entry to mosquitoes into the houses.
"The squalid conditions around the quarters also invite a lot of rodents and it adds further misery to our lives. Residents have frequently complained to authorities about the pathetic conditions, but there has been no favourable action so far," complained the source.
