the goan I network
PANAJI
The Congress on Friday accused the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government of running an anarchic administration and alleged that a Vyapam-like scam was being played out in the State in the government recruitment processes.
Opposition Leader Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar and GPCC president, Girish Chodankar in a joint press conference after a CLP meeting alleged that recruitment tests for engineers and other posts conducted by the Government Polytechnic and the Goa Education Development Corporation were compromised.
“We have got complaints that engineers who are degree holders have failed but three-year diploma holders had got through in the recruitment test,” Chodankar said and demanded transparency in the process.
Chodankar said candidates who had answered the tests should be allowed to file for verification and check the assessment of their answer papers.
He also cited the controversial audio clip of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane saying the contents of the clip exposes the favouritism and nepotism in the government recruitment process where ministers themselves are raising questions.
Chodankar also raised questions over the Goa Police’s Traffic Sentinel Scheme which he said was causing tension among the people.
Challans have begun reaching the people home by post and the issue could trigger a major law-and-order problem, he said, and cited the Shiroda episode in which villagers drove out a businessmen on suspicion that he was reporting traffic violations from his business premises with a CCTV device.
He said, the scheme had no standard practice and the police department also did not have a streamlined process at police stations to entertain queries of the people as also to receive payment of fines.
Tivim MLA, Nilkanth Halarnkar who was also present at the press conference accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of fooling the agitating dependents over the mining issue.
“It is comical and a shame that Union minister Shripad Naik, who should be working out solutions to the mining imbroglio in the Central cabinet is sitting on a dharna and agitating along with the mining affected at Jantar Mantar in Delhi,” Halarnkar said.
Congress to confront CM over new CRZ notification during assembly session
PANAJI: The Congress is preparing to confront Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the upcoming Assembly session over the new Central CRZ Notification approved by the Union cabinet and which proposes to reduce the No Development Zone from the current 200 metres to 50 meters from the High Tide Line.
Opposition Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said the party will raise the issue as the entire coastline of the State will be affected and traditional occupants in coastal villages will be swamped by big businesses and commercial tourism projects.
Kavlekar said the party had raised the issue in the Monsoon session last year and Parrikar had assured the House that the process of the new CRZ notification was only in the initial stages.
“Parrikar had also said that the notification will not be applicable to Goa. But now it is clear that there will be no section of the coastline which will not be affected,” Kavlekar said.
