the goan I network
PANAJI
Raising fears of an arbitration-like situation as was the case with Reliance Infrastructure, MGP leader and former PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Tuesday advised the government to do away with the present agreement and re-tender the Mopa Airport project and demanded a decision in this matter after a high-level study.
“Recently Reliance Infrastructure Ltd had won the Rs 292 crore arbitration award against the State in the power dues case. The State may have to go into arbitration similar to Reliance Infrastructure in case of Mopa project in future. If this happens, the State exchequer will be in trouble,” Dhavalikar warned.
Dhavalikar also said that the State was heading towards a debt trap and the government should stop undertaking new development projects.
Criticising the government decision to pay interest to SEZ developers, Dhavalikar demanded a white paper on SEZ-related deals.
The former PWD Minister stated that during his tenure he had opposed both SEZ and Mopa airport deals with adverse remarks in the file notings.
Dhavalikar also suggested bringing the Sanjivani sugar factory under the agriculture department. It is presently under the cooperation department.
He criticised ministers in the cabinet for making ambiguous statements on the factory.
“The cooperation minister says that the factory will not be repaired this year and agriculture minister states that the government in any condition will not stop its functioning,” he said.
Stating that around 15,000 farmers, i.e 1300 families, are dependent on the factory, Dhavalikar demanded that the government should try to restart it in this season itself.
Dhavalikar also demanded early compensation to farmers whose crops have been damaged in the recent floods.
Stating that two reports have different observations about the structural stability of the Kala Academy building, Dhavalikar demanded that these reports should be sent to the IIT experts for an appropriate decision.
He alleged that the state government has taken money for the third Mandovi bridge construction from NABARD and also received Rs 289 crore for the same. Government has to make it clear which money has been utilised, he demanded. Dhavalikar said that the government should refrain from public-private partnership projects as Goa has a scarcity of land.
He demanded that the government should provide sufficient funds to the electricity department so that it can provide efficient service to the state.
He said since the Indian government has banned all imports from Iran, the claim of PWD Minister for procuring tar from Iran is impractical.
He advised the government to sign an agreement with Indian companies to provide tar to the State.
Cautioning the government on the exercise of filling potholes with concrete as a waste, he suggested repair work after November 15.
