VASCO
The division between Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar and a group of councillors in the Mormugao constituency has widened after Amonkar and the councillors met separately with the MPA to discuss the coal issue.
Speaking to reporters, Amonkar criticised the councillors for initially raising the issue of coal pollution in the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) meeting but not attending his meeting with the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) to discuss coal pollution issues.
“The separate meeting with the MPA was just a political stunt by the councillors to tarnish my public image. After they raised the issue of coal pollution and made allegations against me, I arranged a meeting with the MPA Chairman. Despite personally inviting all of them, they did not attend the meeting, and I attended with my wife, who is also a councillor, and supporters,” said Amonkar.
“When I met the MPA Chairman, I was shocked to learn from him that these councillors from the Mormugao constituency and one councillor from Dabolim had gone a day earlier to meet him and took a photo with him.”
“They should have at least addressed the media and informed the people about their discussion with the MPA chairman, but that did not happen.”
Amonkar alleged that those councillors have businesses inside the port and are attempting to protect the business interests of their boss, who was the ex-MLA of Mormugao constituency.
“Coal pollution is a genuine issue, and there should be no politics in addressing issues that cause inconvenience to the people,” Amonkar added.
