Margao: “Madganvcho Awaaz has consistently exposed the theatrics of Defector Margao MLA turned PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, who makes grand announcements but fails to deliver on the ground. Today’s fire incident in Margao, with non-functional fire hydrants, vindicates the concerns we raised on 20th April 2025 and again on 4th April 2026,” said Youth Leader Prabhav Naik.
Prabhav Naik reminded the people of the assurances made by Digambar Kamat after a fire broke out in a shop in the Prime New Market on 26th December 2023. On that occasion, the Margao MLA publicly blamed the bazarkars and announced that a dedicated water tank would be constructed and fire hydrants would be installed to strengthen fire safety in the commercial hub. Similar assurances were repeated following the Gandhi Market fire on 19th April 2025.
“Despite repeated announcements and promises, nothing has moved on the ground. More than two years have passed since the first assurance, yet Margao continues to remain without a fully functional fire hydrant network and the promised water tank. Today’s incident is the direct consequence of this failure to deliver,” Naik said.
He pointed out that after another fire incident at the New Market on 4th April 2026, Madganvcho Awaaz had once again raised serious concerns over the haphazard laying of fire hydrant pipelines and questioned the continued delay in constructing the promised water tank and commissioning the fire hydrant network. The organisation had cautioned that incomplete and poorly executed fire safety infrastructure would prove disastrous during emergencies.
“Today’s incident has once again exposed the government’s negligence and the failure of Digambar Kamat to fulfil the commitments he made before the people. Public safety cannot be reduced to headline-grabbing announcements. Fire safety infrastructure must be functional when lives, livelihoods and property are at stake,” Naik added.
Prabhav Naik demanded that authorities must explain why the fire hydrants remained non-functional during today’s emergency and who is responsible for the inordinate delay in commissioning the fire hydrant network despite repeated assurances. He further demanded that accountability be fixed on all officials and agencies concerned, and that the long-promised fire safety infrastructure, including the dedicated water tank and hydrant system, be completed and made fully operational without any further delay.
