STATING that 32 residential buildings in the Goa Medical College and Hospital complex were in dilapidated condition and pose danger to human life and safety, the authorities have issued eviction notices to the occupants of these buildings. The occupants residing in 268 quarters have been directed to also take up accommodation elsewhere, in their own interests. The director (administration) of GMC, Dattaram Sardessai, who issued the eviction notices, has cautioned the occupants that the administration of GMC would not be responsible in whatsoever manner for loss of any life, limb, and property arising out of any incident from the dangerous, dilapidated condition of these buildings. The eviction notices were issued after a report by the public works department that these buildings were unsafe. Though the PWD officials submitted report way back in December 2016, the GMC officials chose to issue eviction notices almost one and half year after receipt of report. While no major incident took place since the report was submitted, there was one incident wherein balcony of one of the quarters collapsed in June 2016 in which no one was hurt. Despite the incident occurring in June last year, the GMC authorities chose their own pace to issue warning and eviction notice.
It is amazing that not a few but 268 quarters in 32 buildings have been found to be unsafe by PWD authorities, which indicates neglect on the part of GMC authorities in maintaining them. The residential quarters in the GMC complex were constructed nearly four decades ago. It appears that the neglect on the part of the GMC authorities led to no repairs or maintenance being carried out since then leading to the decay setting in most of buildings rendering them unsafe for human habitation. The PWD officials have claimed that they had sent numerous reports about worsening condition of the buildings and seeking funds for their maintenance but there was no apparent response from the GMC. According to the PWD officials, they had also prepared estimates for carrying out the repairs/maintenance work quite some time ago but no approval and sanction came forth. Subsequent reminders sent thereafter have also not evoked any response. The occupants of the quarters have been left to wonder whether there was deliberate attempt on the part of GMC officials to allow buildings to decay and collapse. Will the government act against those who neglected the buildings and failed to ensure their timely repairs? The responsibility for the neglect should be fixed and action taken against the errant.
It is not that the staff staying in the GMC quarters lived there for free. Ever since the quarters were allotted to them they have been paying amounts ranging into thousands of rupees through their salaries every month as rent of the accommodation. Given the fact that the quarters have been occupied for nearly four decades, crores of rupees must have been collected in the kitty of the GMC by way of rent. The authorities should have used the funds for maintenance of the buildings and avoid the prevalent precarious condition of the buildings. Following the orders, the occupants of the quarters would be put to great inconvenience as they not only have to move out but also hunt for new accommodations to shift, which would be time consuming and a costly affair as the rent of the accommodations in private buildings is quite high. There is also possibility of people hiking the rent given the fact that there is going to be huge and sudden demand for accommodation. The staff of the GMC has sought the help of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane in providing them alternate accommodation, which could be difficult to find as government has limited number of quarters in the general pool that could be allotted to the GMC staff in such huge numbers.
Soon after the collapse of the balcony of one of the residential quarters in the complex, the Health Minister had declared the buildings had outlived their life and should be demolished and constructed afresh. Despite the announcement made by the Health Minister, it took the GMC officials nearly 18 months to serve eviction notice on the occupants of the buildings. The demolition and reconstruction of all the buildings would be a costly and time consuming affair. Rather than going for reconstruction of all the buildings simultaneously, the government should explore the possibility of repairing some of the buildings that are fit for restoration at least temporarily so that the staff can return to them after repairs after a short time. The repairs or maintenance should be fast tracked. Only those buildings that are beyond repairs could be demolished and rebuilt. The replacement of other buildings could be undertaken in phased manner as it would help avoid inconvenience to staff as also lessen immediate burden on the state exchequer.