MARGAO
Will the South Goa District Consumer Protection Council meeting on Thursday be chaired by District Collector Dr Tariq Thomas? But most importantly, will this meeting, which is being attended by representatives of various agencies, take stock of the burning issues, including health and transport, plaguing consumers in South Goa.
Questions are being raised as to when the Consumer Protection Council will deliberate on the new district hospital under construction in the city which will benefit thousands of consumers from the South. This issue assumes significance as the hospital project has been dragging on for close to a decade now, leaving consumers with no option but to avail medical benefits at the Hospicio hit by space and manpower constraints.
The existing Margao KTC bus stand is another case in point. The bus stand has been craving for attention ever since it was opened with just a shed to call its own around three decades ago. An inspection conducted by a city-based NGO had pointed out several deficiencies.
While the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai had mooted a Rs 350 crore Fatorda Margao Bus Terminal a couple of months ago, the project has hit a road block over the issue of amalgamation of land belonging to the GSUDA and the transport department.
The Margao flyover is another issue which has been craving for attention. While the PWD has only carried out patch work, both the PWD as well as the Konkan Railway have failed to conduct an audit of the flyover till date despite demands by consumer rights activists.
A sales counter of the government printing press is yet to become a reality in the commercial capital after the shut down of the office in the Comunidade building. Consumer rights activists have been continuously demanding space in the Matanhy Saldanha Complex for a sales counter of the government printing press, but in vain.
Investigations into the Benaulim LPG cylinder pilferage case seem to have hit a dead end, even as consumers are demanding to know whether the district Consumer Protection Council will demand the status of the police inquiry into the episode when labourers of a gas agency were caught red handed while pilfering gas from a cylinder with the help of a devise.
Consumer activists have also raised questions whether cable TV consumers of South Goa will get justice. After digitisation and the introduction of the set-top box, they still have to pay the old rates. Will Deputy Collector (Revenue) who is the nodal officer step in and act in the matter?
