MARGAO
Close to a month after the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) had written a letter handing over the Lohia Maidan after the beautification, the Margao Municipal Council has taken possession of the historic Maidan after the verification.
While GSUDA had made it clear in its letter sent to the civic body in mid-March that renovation and beautification work on the historic Lohia Maidan is completed in all respects, the Margao Municipal Council did not take possession of the Maidan on the plea the civic body will take possession only after verifying the works executed by the agency.
The Goan had earlier this week highlighted the delay in throwing the Lohia Maidan to public use because of the delay in handing over the Maidan by GSUDA and taking possession of the historic place by the Margao civic body.
Margao Municipal Chief Officer Manuel Barretto has now claimed that the officials of the MMC and GSUDA have inspected the Lohia Maidan earlier this week to verify the works executed by GSUDA. “After the verification exercise, it is as good as the civic body taking possession of the Lohia Maidan. We wanted some additional works such as paintings and lawn at the Maidan, but since these works did not come in the works executed by the GSUDA, work on the Lohia Maidan is completed. Hence, the civic body has taken possession of the historic place,” Barretto said.
Meanwhile, the Shadow Council has condemned the Margao Municipal Council for playing truant with the freedom fighters on the occasion of the 113th Birth Anniversary of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia on March 23.
Exhibiting the reply received from the GSUDA, Coutinho pointed out that the renovated Lohia Maidan was handed over to the MMC before the birth anniversary of Dr Lohia on March 21, and yet it was claimed that the GSUDA and the contractor had failed to hand over possession of the renovated premises.
SCM convener Savio Coutinho came down heavily on the Margao Municipal Council, saying, “For the last few months we had noticed absolutely no work happening at the Lohia Maidan, which very well appeared fully completed”.
Knowing that some vested interests were responsible for holding up the renovated premises from being put to public use, Coutinho said a letter was sent to the GSUDA seeking explanation for the mysterious delay of handing over the premises back to the MMC, he stated further.
