MARGAO
The bonhomie between Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat seemed only growing by the day.
The duo shared perfect rapport in full public view when they descended at Sonsodo to launch the dense forest scheme on Thursday, with the forest minister saying that Goa is in need of leadership of a senior person like Digambar Kamat. “I have a tendency to pay respect to our seniors. People think that I speak anything. Even the media asked me after I paid my respect to Digambar Kamat last time round. I want to say that Digambar Kamat is a senior politician and Goa is in need of his leadership. I believe in Kamat. He has brought me up and I am indebted to him”, Rane said as he profusely thanked the Margao MLA for giving him the space at Sonsodo to launch the urban forest scheme.
In return, Kamat termed the forest minister as an innovator, raring to implement new schemes for the benefit of the people. He recalled how Rane had come to him when he was the Congress chief minister between 2007 and 2012 with the 108 ambulance scheme. “When Rane came up the novel idea, the Chief Secretary and Health Secretary raised many an eyebrow. But, Rane persisted with the idea and I okayed the scheme. The 108 Ambulance service has helped to save the lives of lakhs of people since its introduction over a decade-¬and-half ago”, Kamat said adding, “Rane is good at implementing innovative schemes. Basically, one finds dense forest schemes in urban areas mostly in foreign countries. Rane has brought the concept to Goa and I am proud that he has chosen Margao”.
That’s not all. Kamat reminded that the forest minister’s father Pratpasing Rane had helped him to save Ana Fonte garden, adding that the Jr Rane has now lent his help and assistance to rid Sonsodo of the legacy dump.
