MAPUSA
The Mapusa Municipal Council on Tuesday decided to hand over development and maintenance of various gardens, dividers and the clock near the court junction to private entities under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity.
A reluctant opposition had no choice but follow the majority decision but requested the council to ensure that the private companies complete works given to them within a particular time frame.
Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson Priya Mishal informed that the civic body had received proposals from several companies which were ready to take up development of gardens and dividers at various locations in town.
“These firms are ready to develop as well as maintain the gardens and other public places under the CSR activity. Their only condition is to allow them publicity via signboards,” Mishal said.
Opposing the idea, councillor Kamal D’Souza said if every activity is handed over to private entities what would the council do.
“It’s not proper to hand over gardens to private firms. It’s like handing the responsibility of our children to others,” D’Souza opined.
She said in the past the civic body had handed over the development of “Gandhi Chowk” to a private real estate company which has prominently fixed a big board displaying the company’s name.
“It’s a shame that we cannot maintain the statue of our own Bapu,” she said.
According to councillor Shashank Narvekar, all companies which are ready to take up development of gardens or other public places should be given a specific time frame to complete the works.
Seconding him was councilor Tarak Arolkar who said a period of one month was too short to complete any work involving construction and requires a minimum of three months.
Councillor Sainath Raul informed the council that while handing over the maintenance of gardens to private parties the council should keep in mind that in most cases watering of the garden was undertaken by the municipal workers.
