MCC swings into action after VB's report on Smart City, Gail India work posing threat to motorists
Dangerous potholes, excavated spots temporarily fixed
Mangaluru: A day after Vartha Bharati carried a story on the poor safety measures in place on roads in the city due to construction work of smart city and GAIL India’s Pipeline installation, Mangaluru City Corporation authorities swung into action on Thursday and set in motion a drive to fix potholes causing inconveniences to the general public.
On Wednesday, Vartha Bharati carried the story showing snapshots of dangerous potholes and excavated sites left uncovered, posing threat to the motorists in the city. It was also revealed that the construction was undertaken by the Smart City project and some of the dangerously excavated and uncovered sites were that of GAIL India Pipeline installation work.
The story was duly brought to the notice of authorities including MCC Commissioner Akshy Sridhar and Mangaluru Smart City works’ General Manager Arun Prabha KS.
Both Akshy and Arun had assured Vartha Bharati of looking into the matter and initiating action in this regard.
On Thursday, MCC Commissioner Akshy shared images with Vartha Bharati showing MCC workers fixing potholes at Balmatta Junction, an area particularly highlighted in VB’s story. The images showed MCC workers fixing the road in the early hours of Thursday.
The potholes at Balmatta Junction have been fixed temporarily with concrete and mud, at Jyothi circle, a dangerous pit has been filled with concrete. The excavated spot at Bendorewell has been temporarily fixed after being filled with mud. All of these spots were highlighted in VB’s story.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Akshy had said “Action will definitely be initiated against the concerned agency/contractor,” after the matter was brought to his notice.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
