Re: [Goanet] THE STUPIDITY OF MAKING PANJIM A SMART CITY

[Stephen Dias]

Why you guys ( committee members)  from the Smart City ICLEI consultants
 do not send intimation well in advance. This is not the first time such
intimation are sent. You expect stake holders to be ready within few hours?
I just  received in my mail box this intimation of meeting on 27th at 9AM
 to 1 PM   at Fidalgo Hotel

Please see it does not repeat in future, and this is not correct. It only
gives us a doubt that this meetings/seminar/worshops are  being adjusted or
manipulated  as per the needs of the organizers.

Thanks

Stephen Dias
Mob: 9422443110

-


On 26 November 2015 at 12:20, Smart City Panaji 
wrote:

> Dear Collegues,
>
> Panaji City authorities have been actively involved in working towards
> developing the smart city proposal for panaji city.
>
> The city of panaji is now fully prepared to enter the smart city challenge
> and the proposal for the same has been consolidated. The financing and
> implementation mechanisms for the same are also being worked out.
>
> It is in this regard, third and final Stakeholder consultation has been
> convened on *27th November, 2015* from *9:00 am to 1.00 pm *at the Great
> Hall, Hotel Fidalgo, Panaji, Goa to discuss the final proposal and all the
> related aspects.
>
> Agenda has been enclosed for your reference.
>
> We hereby request you to participate in this meeting and give your inputs
> and suggestions.
>
> Regards,
>
> Smart City, Panaji
>
> On Thu, Nov 5, 2015 at 12:27 AM, Stephen Dias 
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> -
>> The hottest topic for Panjimites these days is Panaji becoming a Smart
>> City. However, nothing seems to be going right for the proponents. Their
>> awareness meetings leave people wondering whether to laugh or cry. It's
>> like watching a backward tribe that's struggling to use safety matches
>> trying to convince you they can send space rockets to the moon.
>>
>> The stupidity started right from the first when MLA Siddharth
>> Kunkolienkar and others decided to build awareness for a SMART CITY by
>> conducting a cycle race in Panaji, Is Panaji a race course? It's hardly
>> in a fit state for people to walk.
>> The cycle race was conducted from Divya circle at Patto to Gaspar Dias
>> though actually Panaji roads are in deplorable condition. Luckily the
>> cycles reached upto Miramar. They could not go further as the Dona Paula
>> roads were completely damaged.  Perhaps they should have had a 'hike'
>> through Panjim rather than a cycle race.
>>
>> Another important thing against the proponents is the abysmal record they
>> have on promised projects. They are unable to create basic systems for
>> sewage.  Crores have already been spent on the sewage pipes and work.
>> Tenders have been awarded.  Roads have been destroyed. And yet, the
>> sewage stays in the soak pits. And the money lines someone's pockets.
>>
>> Forget the creation of new systems. Old existing systems are being
>> destroyed with nothing to replace them.  Underground electrical cabling was
>> supposed to improve our electrical supply. Unfortunately the opposite seems
>> to have happened. I haven't had a day without power cuts for so long I
>> don't remember the last time.  Until some time back Goa had enough power.
>> Now, we have 'load shedding'. We had better electricity 20-30 yrs back.
>> Perhaps soon we'll go back to the dark ages and be grateful for a few hours
>> of electricity per day. Already I attended a lecture in Fidalgo Hotel on
>> 3rd Nov, 2015 where Mr. Kunkolienkar told the audience to be grateful
>> that things are better than they were in Portuguese times. Was that a joke?
>>
>> Look at the garbage everywhere. Look at the new arrival of the MV Lexicon
>> casino luxury floatel vessel having capacity of 1500 people. Once this
>> vessel is in operation there will be a number of weddings, parties, dances,
>> cabarets and carnivals entertainment etc. There are chances of Goa turning
>> into Las Vegas with abundance of drugs and drinks and striptease dances.  
>> There
>> are already other casinos in Mandovi river which are polluting our rivers,
>> without proper parking and sanitation facilities at the Captain of Ports
>> jetty.  Anyone can take a look at the traffic chaos all around with
>> haphazard parking with a large number of vehicles parked and their drivers
>> found urinating, defecating and vomiting when their bosses are gambling in
>> the Casinos.
>>
>> Goans, before greedily dreaming of a smart city, are you even aware that
>> the Central Government will give a 100 crores and that the
>> State Government has to come up with another 100 crores each year?
>>
>> 100 crores.
>>
>> Goans, do you realise that the Central 

[Goanet] THE STUPIDITY OF MAKING PANJIM A SMART CITY

[Stephen Dias]

-
The hottest topic for Panjimites these days is Panaji becoming a Smart
City. However, nothing seems to be going right for the proponents. Their
awareness meetings leave people wondering whether to laugh or cry. It's
like watching a backward tribe that's struggling to use safety matches
trying to convince you they can send space rockets to the moon.

The stupidity started right from the first when MLA Siddharth Kunkolienkar
and others decided to build awareness for a SMART CITY by conducting a cycle
race in Panaji, Is Panaji a race course? It's hardly in a fit state for
people to walk.
The cycle race was conducted from Divya circle at Patto to Gaspar Dias
though actually Panaji roads are in deplorable condition. Luckily the
cycles reached upto Miramar. They could not go further as the Dona Paula
roads were completely damaged.  Perhaps they should have had a 'hike'
through Panjim rather than a cycle race.

Another important thing against the proponents is the abysmal record they
have on promised projects. They are unable to create basic systems for
sewage.  Crores have already been spent on the sewage pipes and work.
Tenders have been awarded.  Roads have been destroyed. And yet, the sewage
stays in the soak pits. And the money lines someone's pockets.

Forget the creation of new systems. Old existing systems are being
destroyed with nothing to replace them.  Underground electrical cabling was
supposed to improve our electrical supply. Unfortunately the opposite seems
to have happened. I haven't had a day without power cuts for so long I
don't remember the last time.  Until some time back Goa had enough power.
Now, we have 'load shedding'. We had better electricity 20-30 yrs back.
Perhaps soon we'll go back to the dark ages and be grateful for a few hours
of electricity per day. Already I attended a lecture in Fidalgo Hotel on
3rd Nov, 2015 where Mr. Kunkolienkar told the audience to be grateful that
things are better than they were in Portuguese times. Was that a joke?

Look at the garbage everywhere. Look at the new arrival of the MV Lexicon
casino luxury floatel vessel having capacity of 1500 people. Once this
vessel is in operation there will be a number of weddings, parties, dances,
cabarets and carnivals entertainment etc. There are chances of Goa turning
into Las Vegas with abundance of drugs and drinks and striptease dances.  There
are already other casinos in Mandovi river which are polluting our rivers,
without proper parking and sanitation facilities at the Captain of Ports
jetty.  Anyone can take a look at the traffic chaos all around with
haphazard parking with a large number of vehicles parked and their drivers
found urinating, defecating and vomiting when their bosses are gambling in
the Casinos.

Goans, before greedily dreaming of a smart city, are you even aware that
the Central Government will give a 100 crores and that the
State Government has to come up with another 100 crores each year?

100 crores.

Goans, do you realise that the Central Government money will go to line
someones pockets and the State Government money will have to come out of
ours???

Before any government wants the support of Goans for a Smart City I suggest
the government should deal with all these above issues with their current
resources.

In addition to the above, other issues that come to mind currently are the
following:
- the bad smell coming from River Mandovi during low tides.  Will the
authorities be able to stop this bad smell during low tides in
Campal-Panaji and especially at Patto, Ourem Road and St Ines Creek and
Mala–Fontainhas Portais, St Cruz, Ribandar  etc.
- The gutter problems in the city. Parts of Panaji are below sea level.
This is a challenge of nature that will have to be met long before dreams
of making it 'Smart',
- High rise buildings with no parking in place,
- The shifting all petrol pumps away from the city,
- Razing old dilapidated buildings and other structures such as garages,
- Removing dumped condemned vehicles seen everywhere on roads, etc

If they should have the ability to budget and optimise resources and be
organised enough to get the city running as a normal half-way decent city,
then only, we Goans can think about supporting a bid to make it a Smart
City.

One last true joke to share - Mr. Kunkolienkar spoke at the meeting
of making Panaji the 'bin-less' city. I wanted to tell him that right now
itself Panaji is bin-less. Most people dump their garbage on sidewalks, in
gutters, and in the creek.  Perhaps a better solution would be more bins?
Or does he believe people will put their garbage in their pockets?

Goans wake up and be alert towards the slow destruction of Goa and Goans.

Stephen Dias

Aggrieved Senior Citizen

Dona Paula


Date : 4th Nov 2015