MARGAO
Members of the South Goa District Road Safety Committee have voiced frustration over the failure to implement key decisions taken during earlier meetings, particularly regarding illegal roadside vending and the sale of fake helmets.
At the meeting chaired by Deputy Collector Avelina Pereira, and attended by representatives of various agencies and stakeholders, consumer activist Lorna Fernandes complained that decisions arrived at during the meetings are not implemented by the concerned departments.
On roadside vendors, Lorna insisted that the PWD deploy a patrol vehicle to stop vending activities along the state and national highways. The proposal met with reservations from the officials, but Deputy Collector Pereira said the proposal was later accepted by the panel.
“There are certain issues which need urgent attention from the concerned agencies. In fact, the PWD should conduct an audit of the roadside and prepare a road map for how to evict the vendors,” she said.
She added: “The local bodies are collecting sopo from these roadside vendors, giving the impression to the vendors that they are engaged in legal business. Hence, I have proposed to the PWD to deploy a vehicle for patrolling to clear the highways of vendors selling tender coconuts, fish, vegetables, etc.”
Lamenting that the proposal to stop the entry and sale of fake helmets has come a cropper to date, Lorna said officials of agencies such as Legal Metrology, Commercial Tax, Traffic Police, and the Transport Department should prepare an action plan on how to stop illegal vendors from selling fake helmets.
On the issue of stray cattle, the meeting was informed that the government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with an NGO for lifting away stray cattle from the roads. The officials, however, were questioned whether they had come out with an action plan, including a plan to spread awareness amongst the public on how to contact the NGO to impound the stray cattle.
