Team Herald
PANJIM: The never-ending works carried out under the Smart City Mission have clogged and damaged the storm drains in Panjim; there is every possibility that the rains will create havoc in the State’s capital city.
Residents of Panjim including the CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate have raised apprehension that the capital city may witness the worst-ever floods this monsoon.
The Mayor said, “Some of the ongoing works under the Smart City Mission are aimed at mitigating the flooding issue in Panjim during monsoon. But until these works are completed, one shouldn’t expect the situation to improve.”
“We will definitely face problems during monsoon this year,” Rohit Monserrate said.
He said that the City Corporation is racing against time in fixing the damaged stormwater drains and carrying out desilting work.
“We expect the contractors and the government departments executing the Smart City work to provide us labourers to carry out repair and desilting work of the drains which have been clogged and damaged by them,” the Mayor said.
Camrabhat, Miramar Circle, 18th June Road and EDC Patto Plaza are the areas where heavy flooding occurs every year. However, residents fear that due to haphazard Smart City work at many other prominent areas in the city including Tonca-Miramar, stretch from Caculo Mall to Madhuban Circle, Cafe Bhonsle square, etc, may submerge during monsoon.
In some areas, the level of the roads constructed and tarred has been raised to such an extent that there are high chances of residences and shops getting flooded.
Former CCP councillor Patricia Pinto said that irreversible damage has already been caused to the old Portuguese era drainage system.
“I was shocked to read the Chief Minister's statement that the old Portuguese drains are small, choked and broken in many places. Without regular maintenance any drains will get choked whether old or new,” she said.
Pointing out to the Smart City study entitled ‘Flood Mitigation Plan for Panjim’ prepared by Project Urban Living Lab (PULL) under the green strategic partnership India-Denmark, which was set up under a MoU between the Royal Danish Embassy in India and Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited, Pinto questioned if the IPSCDL took the trouble to go through the said report and discuss it in their meetings before executing ongoing works.
“The way things are going I don’t think so. I hope Panjim City is not heading for a disaster this monsoon,” she said.
Senior-most councillor Surendra Furtado said that desilting of channels is very important and added that most areas in the city will submerge during monsoon.
“Disaster is on the way, God save Panjim. The CCP Mayor is to be blamed and he cannot run away from his responsibilities. CCP ought to undertake the repair and restoration work of drainage on war footing,” Furtado said.
Well known resident of Campal-Panjim Armando Gonsalves said that the present mess in the city is due to the apathy shown by the government as well as the City Corporation, with the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) playing the lead role in this “madness”.
“The current mess shows how disorganised the Smart City Mission is, and it seems as if they have no clue as to how to correct this madness. The only way forward seems to be, that the government appoints a body of well meaning and well known architects, town planners and engineers from the private sector and give them platform and powers,” Gonsalves opined.
“Even if in an advisory form, they will bring some sanity into this process which in turn could be used to enthuse the locals to chip in and help, and most importantly, co-operate in this survival mission,” he added.