---------------------------------------------------------------------------
**** http://www.GOANET.org ****
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5th Annual Konkan Fruit Fest
Promenade, D B Bandodkar Road, Panaji, Goa
16-18, May 2008
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-May/073789.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rotting Panaji: State officials continue with past follies
17 May 2008, 0350 hrs IST,TNN
PANAJI: Goa's capital is rotting from within. And while Panaji has been
given the chance-through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission (JNNURM)-to correct the wrongs of the recent past, state and
civic authorities appear to be persisting with the same folly and fraud
that has led to the gradual decay of what was once a well-planned city.
Panaji has been rocked in recent times by sewage entering the water
supply, untreated waste flowing into the Mandovi, builders using parking
space for commercial purposes, telecom companies misusing and blocking
drains and so on. But hope came two years ago in the form of around Rs
370 crore that Panaji is to get over a seven-year period through the
JNNURM to improve infrastructure. However, lack of coordination and
planning- and allegedly a measure of deceit-appear to have come into the
picture in the very first JNNURM project, which involves the relocation
of slum dwellers.
There appears to be confusion over how the first JNNURM project, which
involves Rs 10.22 crore, was cleared at the state level and sent to the
Centre.
While members of the state level steering committee (SLSC), which is
required to discuss the project, are livid that no meeting was held and
they weren't shown the all-important detailed project report (DPR)
before it was sent to Delhi, sources revealed that the powers-that-be
have only sent an "interim report" to the Centre. However, the sources
added that the report is as good as a DPR and the funds are expected to
be sanctioned.
Panaji MLA Manohar Parrikar, an SLSC member, said he had no inkling of
what the report is about. "I am a member of this committee, but I am not
aware of what is the cost of the slum rehabilitation project or what is
going on. I have sent letters to the CM, but have received no reply.
This is a scam and I'm going to write to the PM that the Centre is being
cheated."
Former councillor Patricia Pinto, also a member of the SLSC, said, "The
report has gone to the Centre without going through the SLSC, which is a
requirement. It appears that there was no intention on the part of the
Goa State Urban Development Agency to place the report before the SLSC.
This gives rise to whether there were ulterior motives to push the
report through."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Goa/Rotting_Panaji_State_officials_co
ntinue_with_past_follies/articleshow/3047801.cms
~(^^)~
Avelino
