MARGAO
Demanding that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant clarify the government’s stand on resolving the Sonsodo issue, Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai on Saturday asserted that the MMC will not pursue the bio-methanation project if the government is not interested in taking the project to its logical conclusion.
“The Chief Minister’s clarification is important because the project was sought to be blocked by BJP-backed and Congress councillors at the council meeting held earlier this week. If the government is not keen on the project, we may not be interested in pursuing it. If the government is ready to execute the project with all financial transparency, the MMC is willing to issue all permissions for it,” Sardesai said on Saturday.
Addressing the media, the Fatorda MLA said the Chief Minister only recently claimed credit for sanctioning funds for the bio-methanation project, which was later opposed by the BJP councillors. “I would like to remind the CM that the government has not sanctioned any funds for the bio-methanation project. The MMC wants to utilise the 14th Finance Commission funds for the project. I did not join the issue with the CM, because I have all along cooperated with the government when it comes to resolving the Sonsodo imbroglio,” he added.
Suspecting the government’s true intention behind the project, Sardesai said while the Chief Minister-headed GWMC has preliminary estimates for the project, the same has been opposed by BJP councillors and key workers in the civic body, Rupesh Mahatme and Ketan Kurtarkar.
