Latest news with #DigambarKamat
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Another building parapet crashes in Margao within 24 hrs
Margao: Just a day after a portion of a parapet collapsed near Gandhi Market, here, another dilapidated structure in the town suffered a similar collapse on Saturday. A part of the parapet of the first floor of Antao Apartments, located near Cine Lata, gave way around 6am. However, no casualties were reported. The area is usually bustling with activity and the building houses several shops on the ground floor, however as the incident occurred early in morning, a tragedy was averted. Police cordoned off the area to ensure public safety. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat inspected the site and took stock of the situation. The Saturday incident follows Friday's structural failure at Pimpalkatta, where debris from an upper-floor parapet damaged multiple vehicles parked below. Market traders have consistently flagged safety concerns about dilapidated structures in the town. The collapses point to a public safety threat posed by aging buildings. While the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has catalogued 22 hazardous structures, the building that suffered a parapet collapse on Friday was not on the list. Urban planning experts cite the 1968 Goa Buildings (Lease, Rent & Eviction) Control Act as a key obstacle to property maintenance and redevelopment. The outdated legislation perpetuates a system where monthly rents remain frozen at Rs 20-50 from decades past, while repair and maintenance expenses have multiplied manifold. While this disparity eliminates financial motivation for property owners to invest in structural improvements, tenant occupancy rights remain protected irrespective of building conditions. They have called for govt intervention and legislative cure to remedy the situation.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Portion of parapet of old building in Margao collapses, vehicles damaged
Margao: A portion of a parapet on the upper floor of an old building near Pimpalkatta, along the road leading to Gandhi Market in Margao, gave way on Friday. Several vehicles parked beneath the building were damaged after the debris landed on them. However, there were no casualties. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, who visited the site along with the chairperson of Margao Municipal Council (MMC), Damodar Shirodkar, said that the structural stability of the building will be assessed, and until then, the building will be evacuated to prevent any untoward incident. A similar collapse occurred in October 2022 when a portion of the first-floor parapet of the same building collapsed, injuring a passerby and damaging a car. The area witnesses heavy traffic and pedestrian movement during rush hours, making such structural failures particularly dangerous. Representatives of a local market association have previously raised concerns about the deteriorating condition of several buildings in the vicinity. The recurring incidents point to a larger problem plaguing Margao and other parts of the state— the presence of several dilapidated buildings that continue to pose safety risks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 이미지 영어에 대해서 40분만에 알려드립니다 스티븐영어 지금 시작하기 Undo The MMC previously identified 22 unsafe structures, though authorities have struggled to address the threat. However, the building that faced the current collapse of its parapet hasn't yet figured in the list of the unsafe buildings identified by the MMC, said municipality sources. Legal experts attribute the persistence of such unsafe buildings to restrictive provisions in the Goa Buildings (Lease, Rent & Eviction) Control Act, 1968. The archaic rent control legislation makes redevelopment financially unfeasible, as tenants continue paying nominal rents fixed decades ago while maintenance costs have escalated significantly. 'These buildings may have been built 50 or 60 years ago, but tenants continue to pay the same amount of rent that was fixed then, a paltry Rs 20 to Rs 50,' explained legal practitioners familiar with such cases. The situation is further complicated by tenancy rights that persist even if buildings deteriorate, requiring developers to negotiate with tenants before any redevelopment can proceed. This creates a situation where unsafe structures remain occupied despite their hazardous condition, as seen in cases where trade licences continue to be issued for units in buildings declared unsafe by municipal authorities.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ONGC shows interest in setting up waste treatment plant at Sonsoddo
Margao: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is exploring the possibility of establishing a waste treatment plant at the Sonsoddo dump yard through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. This could potentially offer a breakthrough solution to Margao's persistent waste management crisis. In a significant development, ONGC officials met with Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and BJP state president Damodar Naik on Thursday to discuss the proposal. Kamat revealed that ONGC is currently conducting feasibility studies at various locations, with Sonsoddo emerging as a prime consideration for the project. Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full list Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said India foils Pakistan's attack on Jammu airport: What we know so far The development comes at a time when the Sonsoddo waste management facility grapples with severe operational challenges. The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has faced mounting criticism for its inadequate management of the site, characterised by frequent breakdowns of baling machines and inefficient waste processing systems. Citizens for Fatorda representative Roque Mascarenhas, who previously initiated legal action through a high court petition, has in the past expressed serious concerns regarding the creation of additional waste dumps due to mismanagement at Sonsoddo. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo 'Currently, all wet waste is being directed to the Cacora waste treatment plant, leaving MMC responsible solely for dry waste management. Of the daily 17 tonnes of dry waste generated, 10 tonnes are transported to Cacora, with MMC handling the remaining 7 tonnes,' Mascarenhas explained. While MMC chairperson Damodar Shirodkar has maintained a defensive stance regarding the site's operations, other municipal details are yet to be disclosed. Former chairperson Savio Coutinho criticised the current administration of the Sonsoddo site, stating, 'Despite substantial taxpayer funding allocated to waste management, the MMC continues to demonstrate a lethargic approach in managing Sonsoddo operations. ' The site's safety concerns have also come under scrutiny, with multiple fire incidents pointing to the absence of adequate firefighting mechanisms. Local residents are advocating for the installation of comprehensive CCTV surveillance around the Sonsoddo garbage dump site.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
MLA: Over 1 crore being spent to prevent flooding in Margao
Margao: The work of improving a few nullahs in the state's commercial capital commenced on Tuesday. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat said that the works, totalling over Rs 1 crore, would help prevent flooding along certain stretches through which the nullahs passed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now To prevent waste from entering the nullahs, concrete slabs have been installed as covers in residential areas. Chairperson of Margao Municipal Council , Damodar Shirodkar, said that all pre-monsoon works undertaken by the civic body were nearing completion. In the areas where the work was progressing at a slow pace, more workers would be deployed to complete the task in time, he said. MMC's pre-monsoon works include cleaning drains and gutters, desilting nullahs, cutting and trimming tree branches, identifying low-lying areas prone to flooding, clearing illegal hutments, and preparing plans to accommodate people affected by monsoon calamities. Shirodkar said that the water resources department (WRD) would soon take up the task of cleaning the 10-12 nullahs across Margao and Fatorda. Speaking to reporters, Kamat said that the work of laying underground sewerage lines was almost complete and that the work of releasing connections to households was also receiving a good response. The work of replacing an old sewerage line with a new one at Sirvodem would be completed within a few weeks, he said. MMC's pre-monsoon works have always invited criticism from the public for their inefficiency. A few years ago, the Lokayukta questioned MMC over the estimates prepared by it, which had uniform amounts for all the desilting works.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Locals worry as Davorlim education hub shows no progress
Margao: The ambitious education hub project at Davorlim, proposed several years ago to decongest Margao by relocating its schools, continues to languish without significant progress. This has raised concerns among locals about its future. The project involves 1.15 lakh sqm of land acquired by govt and transferred to the education department. It was highlighted nearly three years ago when authorities began demarcating boundaries to prevent encroachments. However, since that initial activity in 2022, tangible development on the site has been conspicuously absent. 'The traffic congestion around Margao schools keeps getting worse, and this project could have been the solution,' a Margao-based businessman said. The education hub was initially conceptualised during former Margao MLA Digambar Kamat's tenure when the land was acquired. In July 2022, chief minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio, assured the assembly that govt would proceed with establishing an educational complex in response to concerns raised by Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar. At that time, several school managements in Margao expressed support for relocating to the new hub, recognising the difficulties posed by traffic congestion in Margao, particularly during school opening and closing hours. The education department indicated that proposals from various school managements for land allocation were under consideration. Tuenkar said that he held discussions with the chief minister over the issue and that the project would soon see further development. 'Relocating all the schools to Margao is a pressing need. I am sure govt will take steps towards the execution of the project,' he said. Nevertheless, as Margao continues to struggle with traffic congestion around its educational institutions, the fate of the Davorlim education hub remains uncertain. This leaves citizens wondering if this promising solution will ever materialise or join the list of stalled govt initiatives in South Goa.
