PANAJI
Goa is all set to host the 8th BRICS summit with the Chief Minister and State Administration Officials overseeing preparations and offering media persons a tour of the work they have completed.
The 8th BRICS will see leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa converge in the State with each leader arriving between October 14 and 15 for the conference scheduled to be held over October 15 and 16 at the Taj Exotica in Benaulim.
“Organising for BRICS was a huge challenge be it for widening of roads, beautification of the venues and security arrangements. To add to it, we received a lot of rain during the preparations with the rains extending even to October,” Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said.
To his credit, much of the work along the routes to be used by the VVIPs and delegates arriving in the State is complete.
However, drive along the airport road revealed that as of Thursday night, workers were still installing and connecting the newly installed LED lights along the airport road. The situation improved as one neared the airport.
The newly decorated divider along the road looks freshly done with the plants yet to adjust to their new environment.
Yet Parsekar was confident that the summit will showcase the state well.
“It is for the first time that the State of Goa is hosting an event of this scale with representatives of 41% of the world’s populations arriving in the state. The time has come for “Goa to take its place on the world stage and use the opportunity to showcase its culture, cuisine and hospitality,” Parsekar said.
“The declaration at the end of the summit will be called the ‘Goa Declaration’ and Goa will reach all over the world. We need to take advantage of this,” he added.
The state has spent in the range of ` 70-75 crore on the preparations with the bulk of the money sent in by the central government. During the visit Parsekar chanced upon Varca
strongman Churchill Alemao who popped up out of the blue and greeted the chief minister during a brief stop over in Benaulim.
Avertano Furtado and Caetano Silva were not far off and also greeted the chief minister but in Colva.
Earlier Secretary (Protocol) Manoj Kumar Sahoo informed that there were be 11 companies of of police forces in the State -- seven from the Central Reserve Police force while two each from Maharashtra and Karnataka will aid the Goa Police in security arrangements.
“The full scale deployment has begun starting Thursday. Air Defence Measures, anti sabotage check teams and dog squads have already secured the venues,” he said.
“From the State side the government has ensured that there is uninterrupted water supply with the continuous testing of the quality. New electricity lines have been set up at the venues along with continuous monitoring of the line to ensure no power failures,” Sahoo said. With regard to health arrangements five hospitals -- Goa Medical College, Hospicio, Rajagiri Victor, SMRC and Manipal have been kept on standby along with an onsite intensive care unit, advanced life support ambulances.
besides also ensuring five nearby hospitals remain on alert -- two public sector and three private sector.
