PORVORIM
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday said the BJP party had taken advantage of a divided opposition, enabling the State government to bulldoze all public protests against several projects proposed in the State.
He has now called for a united opposition to confront the government on major issues in the State.
“The mandate given by people in the recent ZP election has gone to the heads of the ruling party MLAs and hence, the State government thinks it can do whatever it wants to suppress various agitations, such as those against the IIT project, coal and double tracking issues,” said Khaunte, while addressing a news conference in Porvorim.
“A united opposition is now the need of the hour and hence, all opposition parties should be united to confront the government on major issues like Mhadei, Melavali, coal and double tracking, water shortage, etc.,” said Khaunte.
The Porvorim MLA informed reporters that the agitation over water shortage would begin in Bardez this month and appealed to all opposition leaders and panchayat members in Bardez and adjoining talukas to join in the agitation to get the water scarcity problem solved.
Commenting on the blockade of access road for residents in the vicinity of new High Court complex, Khaunte said he had met officials of Goa State Infrastructural Development corporation on February 4, 2020 along with the locals.
“We had discussed all issues relating to the access road, laying of pipeline etc. However, I was surprised to note that the minutes of this meeting were not recorded by GSIDC. The consultant of GSIDC prepared the plan as per their convenience and blocked the existing road of the residents residing in the vicinity of the High Court.”
“They have made a separate road parallel to the national highway which goes right up to the private property. It is not known whose private property it is and under whose instruction this road has been made,” said Khaunte.
He added that the aggrieved locals have stopped ongoing work of the High Court project and have demanded that the existing access road should be widened to 5 meters to accommodate two vehicles at a time, while water from the existing pipeline which supplies water to them should not be diverted to the High Court complex.
Khaunte said the relocation of the chapel in the area should be done only after discussing the matter with the residents.
“GSIDC officials have agreed to make necessary corrections in their plan,” said Khaunte.
