The 118-year-old Portuguese-era Margao municipal building has finally got a plastic sheet cover in a bid to stop rain waste seepage inside the heritage structure.
Just before the onset of the monsoons, the windows dotting the western and southern portions of the building were all covered with plastic sheets to prevent entry of rainwater.
The decision to cover a portion of the building roof, especially playing host to the concrete ceiling, has apparently come against the backdrop of the fact that a portion of plaster of the ceiling had come crashing down over a week ago.
With the blue plastic sheet cover over its head, the municipal building has joined the list of two other heritage buildings, the Margao Civil and Criminal Court building (now repaired) and the Margao Urban Health Centre, whose façade had collapsed a fortnight ago, before the authorities covered the damaged portion with plastic sheets.
Municipal chairperson Damu Shirodkar said the civic body has been left with no option but to cover the building with plastic sheets not because of rain seepage, but because the structure is getting soaked with rainwater.
Saying it is a temporary measure by the Council to stop seepage and further damage to the building, Damu said the municipality has sent a reminder to the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) to take up the renovation work of the heritage building on topmost priority. “We had sent a proposal to the DMA some time back to take up the renovation. Today, MMC has sent a reminder to the government on the urgent need to initiate the renovation,” Damu said, adding that the civic body would follow up for early commencement of the work.
Chief Officer Gaurish Shankhwalkar said the measure had to be taken in view of the incessant rains that have lashed the city this year.
