A clean and green Margao is what every successive Margao Municipal Council has pledged to achieve in their agenda as they took over the reins of civic office over the years.
While the Margao Municipal Council has been struggling over the years to handle the burning garbage issue, it’s a subject matter of debate whether the civic body has initiated green projects in the city in recent times.
A look at the traffic islands around the Margao Municipal building and the Municipal square, however, does not give a rosy picture on the maintenance of the islands to maintain its greenery.
In fact, the half-a-dozen traffic islands around the MMC square, including the three islands located right around the MMC building, have been craving for attention.
Otherwise, consider this. While the stainless steel sculpture of a Bhadel, the traditional woman porter in Margao, installed at the traffic island opposite the Margao post office has been given a face lift, courtesy Commonwealth Developers, the remaining traffic islands are looking forward for a turn around.
Consider the traffic island behind the MMC building. There’s no greenery left at this traffic island, baring just two plants standing tall inside. However, a couple of sign boards of taxi service are prominently installed inside the island. Even the stones seem falling down for want of maintenance. Incidentally, this very same island had triggered an uproar over a year ago after a former MMC Chief Officer cleared documents to award the work of upkeep and maintenance of the traffic island without codal formalities. Since then, no development has taken place at the island till date.
The traffic island at the right hand corner of the MMC building is no better. While a couple of plants are seen standing tall, the small plants and grass seemed to have disappeared for want of regular watering. Take note, a tap water point is installed at the traffic island, which is being used and misused by the public, including washing of vehicles, but its waters seemed to have not been used for watering the plants as evident by the status of the plant. Questions are being raised why the traffic islands are being watered every day, leave alone their maintenance, when the MMC has an army of workers at its disposal.
Another case in point is the island located opposite the Old Collectorate building. A private developer had installed a bronze statue inside the traffic to add beauty to the surroundings. The lawn and small plants seemed craving for attention from the civic authorities.
The remaining two islands, opposite the Margao Residency on the left hand rear side of the MMC building and opposite the State Bank of India, are also craving for attention.
The Margao Municipal Council had in the past beautified these traffic islands with the participation of the private sector, including the real estate sector. It could, however, not be ascertained whether the responsibility of maintaining these traffic islands lies with the civic body or with the private sector.
