the goan I network
MARGAO
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha on Tuesday said he has impressed upon the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to take up work on the 2.75 km western bypass passing through the flood plains of Benaulim and Seraulim on stilts.
The South Goa MP, who is a member of the Parliament Estimates Committee, said that NHAI officials have been clearly told that building the bypass on stilts would inundate the low lying fields and destroy agricultural fields and would force the people to come on the streets in the future.
Addressing the media in the presence of district President Joe Dias and Deepak Kharangate at the South district office on Tuesday, Sardinha said he now expects NHAI officials to brief the Ministry about the consequences of bulldozing with the bypass without stilts.
“There’s a norm guiding NHAI projects that if there’s a difference in the estimates after a review of the project, the difference has to be borne by the state government,” Sardinha said, while hoping that better sense would prevail on the NHAI and the state government and the bypass would be built on stilts.
On the Citizens Amendment Act, the South Goa MP said the entire nation is on fire, and prayed that God open the eyes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of the country that nothing should be based on religion.
“I want to bring to the notice of everyone that Congressmen who had fought for the country’s Independence had given the country a secular Constitution. We cannot destroy the secular fabric of the country. It will be bad for the country”, he added.
On the issue of mining, Sardinha rapped the state government for giving only empty promises to the people of Goa, saying it is very important to revive the mining industry when tourism is on the decline.
On the death of three youth at the Sunburn festival, the MP said the government should open its eyes and stop the flow of drugs before tourists stop coming into the state.
Referring to the fake UP Minister who was in the state recently, Sardinha said the incident once again brings to the fore the state of affairs in the state.
On the financial health of the state, the MP said the state government has to look for ways to mop up resources, saying that loans and borrowings is not an answer to the state of the economy.
“By resorting to borrowings, we are only increasing the debt burden on the future generations,” he added.
