MARGAO
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Churchill Alemao has demanded that the Congress apologise to the people of Goa for granting the consent to renew and consent to establish coal handling at the Mormugao Port Trust.
Reacting to the statement made by GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar, Churchill said instead of beating around the bush, the Congress should come clear on the consent the government headed by the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat had given to coal handling in 2009 and 2012.
He said though Congress has denied having granted permissions for coal handling, the party should answer on the 2009 renewal consent and the 2012 letter granting consent to establish coal handing at MPT.
“The Congress leaders at Chandor had to face the brunt of the people agitating against coal and track-doubling projects because the Kamat government had given the consent for coal handling. Kamat and other Congress leaders, including South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, had then welcomed the Central government’s decision on double-tracking project,” he recalled.
On Chodankar’s statement targeting him, Churchill said the GPCC chief should introspect why he has so far failed to win an Assembly or Lok Sabha election. “There must be something. People of Goa do not want to vote and elect Chodankar in both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Comparatively, I have won so many Assembly elections and had twice made it to the Lok Sabha,” he said.
The Benaulim MLA said it is high time the GPCC chief does an introspection on why he has failed to win an election, before making comments on elected representatives.
The NCP MLA said he and his party have taken a firm stand that the MPT should be forced to stop handling coal at the port and protect the health of the people of Goa. “Coal and tourism cannot go together. If coal handling is not stopped at the MPT, tourism will come to an end in Goa,” Churchill warned, adding that the government should take measures to phase out coal handling at the MPT.
