Why is Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar obsessed with Salcete? He has this insatiable urge to win over the people of Salcete and the more he tries the less he receives in return. In 2012, the people of Salcete voted against the Congress government, but they refrained from putting their faith in the BJP or Manohar Parrikar. Between 2012 and 2017 the BJP government went out of its way to please the minority community. Parrikar personally took a leap of faith when he drafted a policy to extend grants to English primary schools run by the Diocesan Society of Education. He went out of his way to withdraw a case of assault against parishioners of Velim. In 2017, the church turned against the BJP and the people of Salcete responded to it. Despite these setbacks Parrikar continues to make forays in to this taluka.
On Thursday, Parrikar descended on Salcete with the out-spoken TCP Minister Vijai Sardessai and made a slew of promises. Once again he promised to drop the Velim church case which is a touchy subject with the minority community, which, for some odd reason chose to put their faith in the government rather than the courts. It might be recalled that it was the trial court which dropped the attempt to murder charge and this alone should have reinforced faith in the judicial system. Everyone wants this case to go away and the truth is the government tried to withdraw the case, but the court rejected the plea because the assaulted persons refused to toe the government line. So, one wonders how Parrikar will withdraw the case without complicating matters.
In Salcete, Sonsodo is always a problem and Parrikar and Sardessai have promised to do what none could do “ clear a pile of one lakh tonnes of garbage through a process known as bio-remediation. A second plant will be set up to speed up the process. This work was long overdue and one wishes the duo all success in this endeavor. It was proposed to have a second garbage treatment plant at Curchorem, but the people there were wary. Now that the plant at Saligao is a reality the government hopes to use it as an example to set up a plant at the Verna industrial estate. Objections, and there will be many, will be taken up only after an environment impact study is prepared. Since the Sonsodo plant was built to cater to Margao, it makes sense to build a larger one at Verna to cater to the taluka.
The wholesale fish market is a mess. We do understand that fish markets are expected to smell of fish, but this market at Margao is a picture of mismanagement by the SGPDA and stakeholders. While the government is responsible for constructing infrastructure and waste water treatment plants, those who use the market must also be made responsible for its upkeep.
Parrikar and Sardessai have set the agenda for Salcete. Now it’s a question of following through or the taluka will judge them severely in 2022.
