PANAJI
In less than a year since the controversial renovation of the Charles Correa designed Kala Academy complex was more or less complete and partly commissioned for use again, a portion of its false ceiling collapsed and water gushed in on April 20 when Panaji and many parts of Goa witnessed an hour of torrential rain.
Now, a report of the Public Works Department (PWD) which probed the incident has found no fault with the work of the contractor who executed the renovation.
The report submitted to the government has exonerated the contractor and blamed the incident on the water which got accumulated on the edifice's slab because fallen leaves had choked the drainage.
The report cites the cause for the collapse of the portion of the ceiling as seepage of accumulated storm water on the slab, sources said.
A large amount of leaves piled up on the slab of the building because of which the water from the heavy downpour could not drain out, the report said.
The incident had once again raised questions over the quality of work on the Kala Academy's renovation project and prompted the Opposition, during the current election season, to train their guns specifically at Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude besides Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's government in general.
It prompted Sawant to order a probe to be conducted by the PWD with a report to be submitted to the government as early as possible. Gaude had also met with officials of the PWD and asked them to 'black list' the contractor if there was any fault on his part.
However, with the probe report now exonerating the contractor, PWD officials said, it is unlikely the proceedings to blacklist him will take off.
The April 20 incident had occurred after the State experienced unanticipated rainfall over the weekend, raising doubts about the effectiveness of the repair efforts undertaken by the government at the expense of the exchequer.
Moreover, the Dinanath Mangeshkar Auditorium also suffered from leaks from the rooftop, a situation that once again raised questions about the overall quality of renovations overseen by the government.
The Opposition also took no time to corner the government, but BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade was prompt to reveal that Sawant assured an inquiry.
