The Times of India 04.09.2009
MMC in need of better-equipped garage
MARGAO: The Margao municipal council (MMC) has a skeletal garage whereas it has a fleet of 24 vehicles that includes 12 garbage trucks that are
prone to wear and tear because of the leakage of the wet garbage content that often corrodes them, leading to repair work, besides causing damage to the propeller shafts, air tanks and fuel pipes.
The garage near old market does not have a proper shed and workers have to tie tarpaulin and work under its cover. The problem is acute during the monsoon season when the garbage trucks undergo frequent repair works such as welding for various reasons. But surprisingly, the garage does not have the facility of a welding machine, neither does it have a welder. "We need to send the vehicles elsewhere for welding and denting work,'' said sanitary inspector, Viraj Arabekar.
"It is an open garage and we have one mechanic and two workers. The mechanic is trained in diesel automotives, but can also handle work on petrol vehicles. But we would do better if there was some more manpower,'' observed Rohit Gaonkar, junior engineer (automobiles). Chief officer of the council Y B Tavde agreed that some more posts need to be created to have a full-fledged garage, but then he pointed out that there is a rider to it. He reasoned that the council would have to work out on the costs as to which was cheaper --- outsourcing of work or having a garage that was better equipped.
The MMC garage does not have a proper security cordon, following which once a young boy was caught stealing scrap, while on another occasion the council lodged a police complaint against some unknown persons for stealing spare parts. "When I was the chairperson of the council, I had opened a small office at the premises of the garage to monitor the work and also to reduce the time taken in the repair work of vehicles. Besides, a check has to be kept on whether the repair work is actually required and also on the costs of the parts that are purchased,'' said Ghanshyam Shirodkar, who incidentally raised the issue at the special meeting of the council, earlier this week. He even sought all the details on the expenditure incurred by way of repairs.
The council has six garbage compactors, three of which are said to be new and six open trucks. These trucks are described as old and are subjected to wear and tear. While the workers at the garage attend to puncture work and also can overhaul the engines, the work can be expedited if there are more workers, council sources observed.
The council pointed out that the charge of frequent outsourcing of work was incorrect as several repair works pertained to changing of air tanks, propeller shafts and silencers that often got affected due to the leakage of wet garbage. The starters of the trucks too develop a problem. "Actually if one computes, outsourcing works out cheaper,'' is the other view on the requirement of a better-equipped garage for the council.
The garage near old market does not have a proper shed and workers have to tie tarpaulin and work under its cover. The problem is acute during the monsoon season when the garbage trucks undergo frequent repair works such as welding for various reasons. But surprisingly, the garage does not have the facility of a welding machine, neither does it have a welder. "We need to send the vehicles elsewhere for welding and denting work,'' said sanitary inspector, Viraj Arabekar.
"It is an open garage and we have one mechanic and two workers. The mechanic is trained in diesel automotives, but can also handle work on petrol vehicles. But we would do better if there was some more manpower,'' observed Rohit Gaonkar, junior engineer (automobiles). Chief officer of the council Y B Tavde agreed that some more posts need to be created to have a full-fledged garage, but then he pointed out that there is a rider to it. He reasoned that the council would have to work out on the costs as to which was cheaper --- outsourcing of work or having a garage that was better equipped.
The MMC garage does not have a proper security cordon, following which once a young boy was caught stealing scrap, while on another occasion the council lodged a police complaint against some unknown persons for stealing spare parts. "When I was the chairperson of the council, I had opened a small office at the premises of the garage to monitor the work and also to reduce the time taken in the repair work of vehicles. Besides, a check has to be kept on whether the repair work is actually required and also on the costs of the parts that are purchased,'' said Ghanshyam Shirodkar, who incidentally raised the issue at the special meeting of the council, earlier this week. He even sought all the details on the expenditure incurred by way of repairs.
The council has six garbage compactors, three of which are said to be new and six open trucks. These trucks are described as old and are subjected to wear and tear. While the workers at the garage attend to puncture work and also can overhaul the engines, the work can be expedited if there are more workers, council sources observed.
The council pointed out that the charge of frequent outsourcing of work was incorrect as several repair works pertained to changing of air tanks, propeller shafts and silencers that often got affected due to the leakage of wet garbage. The starters of the trucks too develop a problem. "Actually if one computes, outsourcing works out cheaper,'' is the other view on the requirement of a better-equipped garage for the council.
