the goan I network
MARGAO
Issue of land survey plans and preparation of related survey reports across the State has come to a grinding halt since the last 15 days, not only putting the citizens to great inconveniences, but bringing the common man face to face with the inspector of land records over the unprecedented situation.
Reason: The VMM software used by the Land Survey offices has been malfunctioning since May 31 last, leaving the inspector of land survey records with no option than to put up notices at the offices, expressing its inability to issue the survey plans and to prepare related survey reports to the citizens.
Officials in the know say that the software hit a technical snag on May 31 as a result of which issuance of land survey plans came to a screeching halt. Resultantly, none of the offices could issue a single land survey plan or prepare survey reports, putting the common man to great hardships.
Welcome to Margao office of the Inspector of Land Records, where tempers have been running high with people coming face to face with the officials over the situation. Left with no option, the Margao office has put up a notice, stating categorically that the office is not in a position to issue the survey plans and to prepare the survey reports.
Resultantly, hundreds of applications filed before the Margao office for survey plans have been pending for the last fortnight. Reports indicated that the Margao office of Land Survey, housed in the South Goa District Collectorate building, is grappling with the pending applications, as beleaguered applicants doing the rounds of the office over the last two weeks.
The Goan understands that the Margao Land Survey office on an average receives close to 100 applications for land survey every day, and the situation has only left the office paralysed for want of the software. “We are helpless in attending to the demands of the citizens. The present situation is beyond our control since the problem lies with the software affecting all the offices across the State,” an official told The Goan.
Sources said the State administration is aware of the situation, including Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte who is seized of the problem. When The Goan contacted Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte, he said the problem lies with the software provided by a contractor and the government is toying with the idea of reviewing the contract. “There is a problem with VMM software. We are seized of the problem and the government is doing a review of the contract with the contractor,” he said.
When asked whether there’s any possibility of the situation returning to normal as anxiety writ large on applicants across the State, eagerly awaiting a copy of the survey plans, the Revenue Minister said he would be able to take a call on this question by Monday. “We are seized of the problem and efforts are on to restore normalcy. By Monday, I would be able to shed light when exactly people will start receiving the survey plans from the Land Survey records,” the Minister added.
Given the unprecedented situation, wherein staff and employees of the Margao Land Survey office cannot scrutinise and dispose of applications for survey plans, the office has issued an order to the staff to utilise the time to carry out inventory of the land survey records.
