SHIV SENA CASE
Diesel generators supply power to main auditorium
500 to 600 litres of diesel needed everyday
Diesel cost amounting to Rs 25000 to 30000 a day
Programmes slated till May 15 as part of opening
Parking facility inadequate and vehicles parked on road
.....
Rajiv Kala Mandir runs on diesel generators
Only temporary electricity connection given
THE GOAN NETWORK
PONDA
The Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir (RGKM) in Ponda may have been opened amid much fanfare, but the Ponda block of Shiv Sena has claimed that diesel generators are being used for the programmes as the centre and that it does not have a permanent electricity connection.
RGKM chairman and Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar has admitted that temporary electricity connection has been supplied to the centre and that diesel generators are being used for the programmes.
Addressing a news conference in Ponda, local Shiv Sena leaders Ghanshyam Naik, Ravindra Talaulikar, Ajeet Prabhugaonkar and Naresh Kavalekar considered it a wastage of public funds to run the programmes on generators.
“So much money will be spent on diesel as generators consume a lot of fuel. This is wastage of taxpayer’s money,” said Naik.
The Shiv Sena members also raised concern about inadequate parking facilities at the RGKM, forcing people to park vehicles along the road.
“This has added to traffic congestion in the area,” Naik added.
The inauguration of the RGKM had been postponed once as there was no electricity connection to the centre. A temporary electricity connection was later obtained, but this connection does not provide power supply to the main auditorium.
Sources from RGKM told The Goan that 500-600 litres of diesel is required per day to operate three generators, resulting in a cost of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000.
A considerable expenditure is anticipated since the Directorate of Art and Culture has organized programmes at the RGKM till May 15.
When contacted, Mamledar admitted that generators are presently being used to run the shows at the RGKM. “The generators belong to us and we only have to pay for the diesel,” said Mamledar.
