PANAJI
The new governor of Goa P S Sreedharan Pillai who was administered the oath of office on Thursday by Bombay High Court Chief Justice Dipankar Datta has said he is in the process of studying the State's contentious issues such as the mining ban and the Mhadei water sharing dispute with Karnataka.
Pillai, who was transferred to Goa from Mizoram, also said in an interaction with the media that he intends to develop a "heart-to-heart" relationship with the people of Goa even as he called the State an example to India with its spirit of unity.
"The entire India, can study many things from the history, as well as the unity of the people (of Goa)," Pillai said.
"We could see the unity among the people. There are no communal riots as such and the people are co-operative with each other and have a very good relationship. Culturally also, Goa is at the forefront of South India," the Governor added.
He nonetheless said, that he is studying Goa-related issues such as the vexatious mining ban imbroglio and also the Mhadei water sharing dispute with neighbouring Karnataka, both States ruled by the saffron party.
The new Governor, however, declined to make any comment when asked about the civil society agitations in the State, on some of which the previous full-fledged Govenor Satyapal Malik, was vocal about.
"For the time-being silence is golden," Pillai said.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the Governor's swearing-in ceremony Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed satisfaction that a full time governor has been appointed after several months.
"His appointment will help speed up matters related to legislations, etc," Sawant said, adding that his government will also seek guidance from him on various issues.
Goa had no full-fledged Governor and was being served on a 'holding charge' basis by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, ever since Malik was abruptly transferred in August 2020, after a series of run-ins in the media with Sawant.
Pillai, who hails from Kerala and was that State's BJP unit chief before he was elevated as Governor of Mizoram, also briefly spoke on tourism which he said is a crucial sector for these two States and Goa.
Pillai said, all the three States -- Kerala, Mizoram and Goa -- are topmost States in tourism.
"With coordination between these three States, we will be able to make so many development activities (in tourism) here in Goa," Pillai said, adding that he will co-operate with the government and stick to the Constitutional mandate for Governors to act on the aid and advice of the Cabinet.
Governors, he added, are expected to have commitment to society and not politics.
