PANAJI:  The ad hoc House committee 2010 on public works, panchayats, transport and ports administration, in its first report of demands has expressed utter shock at gaming vessels, casinos and boat cruises releasing all kinds of waste into the Madovi river causing severe water pollution. 

The report noted, “The committee is surprised that the government did not take cognizance all these years of the waste that the vessels were releasing into Mandovi river.”
The report of the ad hoc House committee chaired by the Quepem MLA, Mr Chandrakant Kavalekar tabled in the House on Friday strongly recommended that the government initiate proper measures for the disposal of sewage, garbage and oil generated by these vessels.
“The committee recommends that the government should struck strict balance so much that the vessels are berthed in Mandovi river in such a manner that it does not cause hindrance to iron ore barges, trawlers and other vessels plying in the river,” it pointed out.
Furthermore, taking strong view on accidents and collisions occurring in the inland waterways of Goa, the committee directed the government to take effective and efficient steps to counter the accidents.
The committee also deplored the state of affairs in the river navigation department, and recommended conducting of a survey and taking final decision so that the new ferryboats come into operation at the earliest.
“The committee recommends replacement of all old ferryboats with new ones and looking after their maintenance and repairs from time to time,” the report noted.
Discussing the public transport system in the state, the committee stated that it is deeply anguished with the terse reply of the government, which is more inclined towards shielding the bus operators resorting to annoying tricks like overcrowding of buses, bus conductors without badges and proper uniform, non issuance of tickets to passengers, etc, and the inefficient transport officials, who fail to curb such nuisance.
“The committee therefore directs the government to have surprise checks on the bus routes and to challan the guilty bus operators appropriately, so that they do not adopt such tricks in future,” it recommended.
The committee in another of its recommendations stressed the need for special signage cell in the two districts of Goa, and added that work may be entrusted to the cell, or a private agency may be awarded the contract for the same.
“Pernem always remained a backward taluka and there needs to be spent more amount for development of network of roads in this taluka, and therefore, recommends the government to make available more funds to the municipality, public works division and panchayats for maintenance of roads, and for construction of new ones, in the light of proposal of Mopa airport and Dhargal Sports City,” the report recommended.
In yet another recommendation, the report of the committee stated, “The committee suggests that the government may look into the matter of illegal constructions in village panchayats with all seriousness, as it is well known fact that the majority of illegal constructions are in the coastal areas driven by the demand from the bold and the beautiful, and the rich and the powerful, for the seaside second home in Goa.”
“The committee feels that mere demolishing the illegal construction is not enough and the government has to take major steps to stop these illegal constructions in the future by appointing a special officer to keep a check on this illegality and as specially the legal constructions on the beachside,” it added.
Delving upon the issue of garbage the committee maintained, “The committee desires that the government take deterrent action, with pragmatic approach to eliminate the garbage, which has become a serious problem in the state, and necessary steps be immediately taken to dispose the garbage.”
Finally, the committee taking a serious view of the corrupt practice followed in the Corporation of the City of Panaji as regards allotment of the shops in the new municipal market complex recommended, “The committee observed that there are many reports in dailies regarding the corruption, allotment of shops in market complex, and excess employment of staff and hence recommends that the municipal corporation should initiate suo motto action when such reports appear in the newspapers.”