MARGAO
Two days after the unveiling of the portraits of Opinion poll stalwarts at the Opinion poll square, the question of maintenance has come to haunt the government.
A visit to the Opinion Poll square on Thursday evening revealed that vagabonds seemed to have found a safe place at the square to while away their time. A posse of policemen stands deployed along the square, right from the Ravindra bhavan gate to the SGPDA market junction, ostensibly to protect the portraits from vandals. That the newly-built benches have come in handy for migrants to take a nap along the square has only raised questions whether the brief of the men-in-uniform is to only protect the square from the vandals and leave the vagabonds scot free.
That’s not all. While the men in Khaki “ around eight in number “ patrolled the square along the stretch playing host to the portraits, the question of cleanliness of the square has also come to the fore. For, two days after the unveiling of the portraits with much fanfare in the presence of Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, TCP Minister, Vijai Sardesai and others, the entire pathway along the Ravindra bhavan gate to the PDA market junction, which plays host to a thick green cover, was covered by a carpet of dry leaves, indicating that neither the Margao Municipal sweepers nor sanitation workers of other government agencies made their presence felt at the square till date.
When The Goan called up Margao Municipal Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai to shed light on the question whether the Municipality will look after the upkeep and maintenance of the Opinion poll square, she said no such decision has been taken by the Civic body or the authorities till date. When The Goan drew her attention to the fact that the pathway hosting the portraits of the Opinion Poll stalwarts is covered by a carpet of dry leaves, she pointed out that the Municipality will look into the matter with all urgency. “Right now, I am gone out of station. After my return, I will definitely work out a mechanism wherein the Municipal sweepers, who normally sweep the roads, also take care of the Opinion Poll square pathway”, she said.
The Opinion Poll square project has been executed by the GSIDC and the PWD, but the government is yet to take a call on the maintenance and security of the government-funded project as a tribute to the heroes of the Opinion Poll movement
