One wonders what were the parameters in adjudging Panaji for the top
honours in the Quality Life Index among small cities across India. The jury
perhaps was blindfolded or on a moonwalk. Panaji City which includes our
Ribandar sadly remains decaying with the situation worsening by the day due
to utter mismanagement coupled with rampant corruption and bad governance
at the scam ridden Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP).
The very vital Panaji market and our Kadamba Bus terminal continue to stink
and in very dire straits, while the St Inez and Rua de Ourem creeks persist
to be a horrible eyesore with our nostrils bearing the brunt of that
unbearable stench. The stagnation and neglect of vital infrastructure, the
environment and sustainable development is all too evident. Despite paying
exorbitant taxes the quality of life for the residents of Panaji has been
on a downslide with people now having to pay steep fees even to park their
vehicles.
The city’s gardens and parks are also in a despicable state. Less said the
better on the mounting garbage crisis. The coffers of the CCP should have
actually been overflowing but for reasons best known to all they are empty
or rather have been willfully emptied. The inaction of the authorities on
the over two decade old infamous multi crore Panaji market scam says it
all. The noise pollution from badly controlled traffic on pot holed
congested and dangerous roads with poor parking facilities and the menace
created by casinos continues unabated. Every year during the monsoons the
city floods due to lack of adequate drainage facilities.
Unless there is transparency and accountability in the working of the CCP
with Zero Tolerance to any scams, Goa’s capital city will languish as it is
with manipulated and stage-managed Awards only on paper.
And for Panaji’s Quality of Life Index to improve it is imperative that the
CCP should be led by a Mayor who himself is spotless and a knowledgeable
person with integrity and a vision.
It is also very crucial that we elect honest, competent, dynamic and
independent minded Corporators who have a vision permanently focused on
uplifting their wards and services to benefit the people, without being
puppets or slaves of their political bosses.
Aires Rodrigues
Advocate High Court
C/G-2, Shopping Complex
Ribandar Retreat,
Ribandar – Goa – 403006
Mobile No: 9822684372
Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012
Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com
Or
airesrodrig...@yahoo.com
You can also reach me on
Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues
Twitter@rodrigues_aires
www.airesrodrigues.com
