the goan I network
CANACONA
Activists under the banner of Swabhimani Canconkars have hit back at Dy Speaker Isidore Fernandes’ outburst over their protest to highlight bad roads in Canacona, insisting that people live in a democracy and have every democratic right to agitate and protest against the denial of basic rights.
The activists had recently resorted to a novel protest against numerous potholes at Nagorcem-Canacona by compelling a PWD assistant engineer and the road contractor to a bumpy ride in an ambulance, prompting an angry outburst by Fernandes, who sharply criticised the activists for such actions.
Undeterred by Fernandes’ criticisms, the Swabhiman activists have threatened another unique agitation if the road at Nagorcem is not repaired as assured by
the PWD and contractor by October 1.
Addressing a news conference, activist Janardhan Bhandari said: “We are a democracy and it is our democratic right to protest or agitate if the government fails to address public concerns. We have been exercising our democratic right to protest without creating any problem and we had politely given an ambulance ride to the PWD AE and contractor, who have been trying to blame each other for the failure to repair the road.”
“This was necessary to highlight the suffering of patients being taken in ambulances on potholed roads. We had not forced anyone to undertake the ride and both -- AE and contractor -- readily agreed to sit in the ambulance. They even accepted the difficulties faced by people, especially patients, old-aged and children, on account of potholes on the road.”
Responding to Fernandes’ contention that people must bear some inconveniences, Bhandari hit back: “But for how long? We are ready to suffer inconvenience for development. But will the MLA clarify as to how long people have to suffer for development? It’s a pity that despite having a MLA in the government, we have to suffer and fight for better roads. We will agitate in another novel manner if the Nagarcem road is not repaired by October 1.
Another activist, Vikas Bhagat, criticised the MLA for first standing by the people who were protesting against the work on the 4-lane road and bridge at Maxem and then changing sides.
Bhagat also accused Fernandes of playing a double role in the draft CZMP plan. “First, he said he is with the people over the faulty plan and then he even condemned the Canconcars for booing Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral when he tried to hold a public hearing on the CZMP, which was stiffly opposed by the people,” said Bhagat.
Blaming the MLA for doing little to tackle the garbage issue in Canacona, Remy Borges accused Fernandes of failing to address the issue of tourism shacks and instead, backing the GCZMA for harassing locals who were eking out a living from the tourism trade.
