MAPUSA
Ignoring Opposition demands that some heads have to roll owning moral responsibility for the Kala Academy slab collapse, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday told the Goa Legislative Assembly that no one who is found guilty will be spared and the government will conduct a thorough investigation in the incident.
Sawant also assured the members of the House to table inquiry reports over the incident within 18 days of the ongoing assembly session so as to allow discussion in the matter.
He said the Principal Chief Engineer of the PWD has been directed to investigate and submit a preliminary report regarding the collapse while the government has sought explanation from the contractor who is currently executing the refurbishment/renovation work at KA.
He further informed that the government has decided to appoint an independent agency “ IIT Roorkee “ to ascertain the cause of the slab collapse.
“We have asked all parties concerned to submit the reports as early as possible. Nobody who is involved in the incident will be spared. There will be thorough investigation and that is why we have ensured third party investigation. IIT Roorkee has been roped in as an independent agency,” Sawant said.
The CM made the statement in the House during the Zero Hour while trying to fend off Opposition criticism against the sudden collapse of the slab of Kala Academy’s open air auditorium on Sunday late evening.
Earlier, the Opposition disrupted the Question Hour demanding discussion on the crucial issue.
The CM informed the House that the collapsed part was a 43-year-old structure which was corroded and had no adequate support.
He also said that the structure that was being renovated was completely different and the collapsed structure belonged to the open auditorium.
“The PWD minister has assured to come out with a white paper in the matter. We will place a detailed report on the issue before the House as early as possible,” he said.
Earlier, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said that someone from the government should take moral responsibility for the botched up work in Kala Academy.
“Currently, crores of rupees of public money are going down the drain. This has turned into a monument of corruption,” Alemao said.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai welcomed CM’s statement to present a time-bound report on the issue but demanded that cases need to be filed for negligence.
“There is corruption involved here. Sack the minister and table the measurement book on the table of the House,” Sardessai said.
