from Lenny Barretto
for Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)

Panaji, Apr 10: The capital city of Panaji is getting busier with every passing day. The influx of people from peripheral area is hitting the city roads, lanes and bylanes in large numbers stressing the already-scarce infrastructure. The city, built on picturesque Mandovi river, has reached a stagnating situation. It is getting expanded towards Porvorim by one side and Bambolim by another.

In such a situation, a thought should be given by the rulers on how best we can manage the city. Gone are the days when Panaji was beautiful. There was a span when Panaji had literally become litter-free city with dust bins installed at strategic locations. The entire city was spotlessly clean.

The cleanliness had helped people get rid of two major menaces -- stray dogs and crows. With no garbage littered around the stray dogs were forced to take their way out of city in search of food. Also crows were lesser in number, sparing people from an exercise to dodge their droppings from falling on their heads.

Right now, the city has thousands of crows who have literally painted the Dayanand Bandodkar Marg white. Also, if you park your car or two-wheeler, you will also see it get painted with their excretum. Thus the crows have become a major menace.

Then there are the stray dogs. I still remember the instance when a man was attacked by a dozen stray dogs in the city. The situation remains bleak.

On overall management of the city, the rulers have failed miserably. Manohar Parrikar, Goa's former chief minsiter, who rules Panaji city as its legislator, has a solution for every problem in the world. He was considered to be a master administrator. But the same politician, Parrikar, has failed to look at his own constituency.

Parking problem is a grave one. Those who come to buy things from the market will realize that there is no space for parking. The new market complex's parking facility is a big joke. The underground parking was flooded with water during last monsoons. Now some improvements have been effected. But the narrow lane leading to the parking lot makes it almost impossible for four-wheelers to drive up to the parking lot.

The traffic police constables lined up along the Dayanand Bandodkar road, are seen consistently allowing the VIP cars to park their vehicles alongside the road, while the common man is shooed away from there. Parking woes are something the rulers should look at.

Now with elections staring at our face, we will have to see what will be on the agenda of the aspirants vying to be the Panaji legislator. We should hope that days to come will see better,  cleaner and greener and well-maintained city. Because, we should realize, Panaji is the face of Goa.