Panaji waste collection to be hit as CCP workers on poll duty

NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Stating that most of the city cleaning staff of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) as well as the vehicles along with their drivers used for the purpose have been requisitioned by the state Chief Electoral Office, for the Goa assembly election duty, city Mayor Surendra Furtado on Friday said that as a result the garbage collection in the city would be severely affected from January 7.
“I have no idea why the state Chief Electoral Office has requisitioned our workforce and vehicles, but am certain that this move would cause great inconvenience to the citizens,” he added, pointing out that he somehow managed to get the city cleaned today, including lifting of door-to-door garbage.
Maintaining that furthermore the CCP Commissioner, Deepak Desai, has been deputed on election duty in South Goa, the city Mayor said that even his own official vehicle has been requisitioned by the state Chief Electoral Office.
“Surprisingly, the vehicles of the ministers as well as those belonging to the departments like public works and electricity have not been requisitioned for election duty,” he said, questioning as to how the CCP would function under such circumstances until the election results are out on March 11.
Speaking further, Furtado stated that Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, will be visiting Goa on January 11 and 12, and has got a couple of programmes scheduled in the capital city. “The government should not hold the CCP responsible for the garbage-strewn city when the Portuguese Prime Minister is here,” he noted.
Costa is scheduled to pay a walking visit to Bairro das Fontainhas and Fundação Oriente as also take a walking tour to Instituto Menezes Braganza and visit to the Azulejos panels depicting ‘Os Lusíadas.’ Several other events in the capital city are also organised in his honour.