the goan I network
MARGAO
Angry Cuncolkars took to the streets on Saturday to protest against the power outages and poor power infrastructure, even as the people set a three-month deadline on the Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar to complete the tendering process failing which they threatened to stop power supply to the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
Former Rajya Sabha MP, Shantaram Naik, who hails from Cuncolim, further demanded an apology from the Power Minster for insulting Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias.
Led by the Cuncolim MLA, the protestors got down on the national highway for some time before they held a public meeting to lodge their protest against the failure to tone up the power infrastructure in the Cuncolim Municipal area. The proposed rasta roko agitation was apparently deferred after the Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar on Friday sent a message that the government would immediately tender infrastructure works in Cuncolim to the tune of Rs 7.75 c rore.
Most of the Sarpanchas of the villages in Cuncolim Constituency, including Chandor Sarpanch Celina Furtado, Paroda Sarpanch Inacio also joined the agitation since these villages had also suffered the brunt of the massive power outages in the last two months.
Addressing the protestors, the Cuncolim MLA said that he had been constantly following up with the Power Minister to tone up the power infrastructure in the Cuncolim Municipal area. “I am even ready to quit if no missed calls from me are not recorded on the Minister’s cell phone,” he said.
Clafacio told the people that he would join them to stop power supply to the Cuncolim Industrial estate and to illuminate the municipal area if the government fails to carry out the promised work. He later thanked the Power Minister for his decision to float the tender worth Rs 7.75 crore.
In his address, former Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram naik said the government has failed to provided 24x7 power supply to the people of Cuncolim. “The Power Minister should know that the Goa Liberation movement had started from Cuncolim. He has no right to say that the Cuncolim MLA was only interested in a stunt”, he said, while demanding an apology from the Power Minister for insulting the MLA.
Cuncolim Municipal vice-Chairperson Shashank Desai, Chandor Sarpanch Celina Furtado, Paroda Panch Deepak Kharangate, Mahila Congress Chief Pratima Coutinho and others also addressed the meeting.
The Goa police made elaborate security arrangements anticipating a rasta roko on the NH-17 at Cuncolim. A huge contingent of police was deployed in Cuncolim as a precautionary measure.
