THE GOAN NETWORK
VASCO
Residents of Baina on Friday morning staged an agitation against the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) over the installation of a compound and gates near the up-ramp at Baina.
Local councillor Deepak Naik, leading the protest, submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Collector, demanding immediate action against the gates.
Naik has given the MPA an ultimatum of eight days to remove the gates, failing which he has warned that the locals will take matters into their own hands and demolish the gates themselves.
Addressing the gathering, Naik recalled the transformation of Baina from its past as a red-light area under the BJP government led by the late Manohar Parrikar.
"The people of Baina stood united with the BJP, leading to significant development in the area. Today, we have a beautiful Baina beach and a port connectivity flyover, which has become a tourist attraction. However, after the inauguration of a new link arm providing access to the flyover, the MPA immediately began constructing gates and compounds in this area, which could be used for restricting our movement. This is unacceptable," he stated.
Naik further criticised the inaction of authorities despite multiple appeals.
"After our agitations, Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar and Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the MPA Chairman to resolve the issue. However, no action has been taken even after a month. The Mormugao Municipal Council has remained silent, failing to send a notice to MPA regarding the construction of these gates, even though they act swiftly against common citizens for minor construction violations. The Deputy Collector, too, has not taken any steps," he added.
Urging the government to intervene, Naik warned that if no action is taken within eight days, the people of Baina will forcibly remove the gates.
"We could have demolished the gates today itself, but we have chosen to follow due process first. If the authorities continue to ignore our concerns, we will be left with no choice but to act," he asserted.
"The agitation reflects growing discontent among Baina residents, who are demanding their right to unrestricted access to public infrastructure. The coming days will be crucial in determining the course of action by both the government and the local authorities,” added Naik.
