MARGAO: Forty seven families of the guardians of the peace could be out on the streets soon or even worse, under collapsing buildings if action is not taken at the earliest if the PWD is to be believed. An order has been issued by the executive engineer of PWD works division 8, Fatorda, stating that buildings A1- A4 and B1 and B2 are in very bad condition "as per non-destructive test" and the families have been asked to vacate "immediately before any major casualty occurs."
The tests on the forty year-old buildings have been conducted by JVP Consultants, Panaji. Outcome says a lot about the maintenance carried out by the PWD. So after the notice was issued to the SDPO, Margao, Mr Umesh Gaokar and SP, South, Mr Allen De Sa, representatives of the families, who are all police personnel of the rank of constables and havaldars, were called for a meeting on Saturday.
At the meeting, the SDPO told the aggrieved families that they should look for alternate place to live. He asked them to identify any areas in any government land or building and assured them of all help. However, the personnel argued that it would be difficult to shift given that that children were in the middle of school year. But none were willing to talk to media as they are serving policemen and would face disciplinary action.
Nothing concrete has come out and the uncertainty faced by the families of these defenders of the law cannot hide the fact that the PWD should have taken care of the buildings or given them enough notice to move. However, an inquiry into how a 40-year-old building can be condemned too soon should be carried out, feel the residents given that it is public money that is involved in the construction (NT)
See our old houses and buildings constructed during the period of Portugal regime are still strong and sound. Whereas the buildings constructed for the purpose of Government servants and services during the Goa regime seems to corrode and worn out. This is truly to be investigated, because the contractor must have used sub-standard materials for the construction and given bribe for the concerned Engineer or politician. Now the question arises, why the Government cannot support and accommodate the distraught families of the Police Department whereas they can accommodate the Ghanttis and provide them with the best facilities even the Goan families are deprived off.
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