File photo of the portion of the building on the Cine Lata road that collapsed in May 2025.
MARGAO
Did the public notice issued by South Goa District Collector, Egna Cleetus, IAS, on unsafe structures across the district have any tangible impact on the ground?
In the advisory, the District Collector urged citizens to report any unsafe or structurally weak buildings to their respective local Municipalities. In areas falling outside municipal limits, citizens were advised to report such structures to the concerned Block Development Officers for further action.
The Collector also cautioned citizens against residing in or carrying out any activities from such premises. In case of an emergency, the public was advised to contact the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) helpline at 112 or the Control Room of the South Goa Collectorate at 0832-2794100.
However, questions continue to be raised about whether the Collector’s advisory has had any real impact on the ground—especially in light of past experiences where local bodies have expressed helplessness in dealing with unsafe and dilapidated buildings.
Officials, in fact, recalled how the then Margao Municipal Chairperson, Melvyn Vaz, had openly expressed his inability to proceed with the demolition of a couple of dilapidated structures in the commercial capital due to a lack of resources and wherewithal. This prompted District Collector Egna Cleetus to issue directions to the Public Works Department (Buildings) to undertake the demolition of unsafe structures.
