Canacona
The roof-sheet of the Khola old Panchayat Office, recently renovated for Rs. 5.70 lakhs, was blown off during heavy rain and strong winds early Sunday morning.
This incident sparked a political controversy, with local MLA Altone D’Costa blaming the BJP government for poor quality work and wasting public money. He demanded the resignation of Khola village Sarpanch Krishna Velip, called for an FIR and investigation, and urged punishment for responsible officials.
A visibly upset D’Costa, relieved that no one was hurt when the 15 x 6 metre roof-sheet and steel tubes crashed down around 5 am, later garlanded the fallen roof-sheet and distributed sweets. He noted, “It could have been catastrophic if this had happened during the day.”
The old Panchayat Office, renovated with local funds, included roof-sheet replacements, two new shops, floor tiling, and new doors and windows. Nearby, Khola Panchayat operates from a new two-storey building.
Sarpanch Velip explained that the renovation, started in 2021, faced delays and was still ongoing when the roof-sheets were blown off. He defended the use of roof-sheets, citing technical advice, and called the incident a natural calamity, suggesting broader investigations into such incidents.
