MARGAO
Ruling out any link between his ‘Sunday Dialogue’ initiative and early Assembly election, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai on Sunday said that the government will draw up a new plan for the construction of a state-of-the-art Margao bus stand, while saying that the GSIDC will soon unveil plans for a modern wholesale fish market.
“The Sunday Dialogue which kick started in Fatorda constituency has nothing to do with election. This initiative is not part of any election preparedness. It is an effort to resolve public grievances. We have formed the coalition government to do extraordinary things. And, I will walk the talk and do what I had promised,” he said after his first Sunday Dialogue initiative at the Borda Multipurpose grounds.
On the messy KTC bus stand, the minister said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has promised to come out with a new plant to build a state-of-the-art modern bus stand for Margao.
He further said the government will soon bring about a turnaround in Goa’s lone wholesale fish market. “The GSIDC appointed consultant has inspected the wholesale fish market. There will be no place for retail fish sale in the wholesale fish market. A total of three wholesale sections will be created in the new market,” he said.
On the drug and gambling menace, the minister said the Fatorda police have been pro-active against gambling and drugs, but hastened to add that instructions will be issued to the police to patrol certain areas which are prone to drugs and gambling.
On complaints from power consumers on late delivery of power bills, Sardesai said this is a systemic issue plaguing the power consumers across the state, adding that the Power department will be asked to resolve the grievances.
Complaints also came over the pathetic situation in the Salcete Sub-Registrar office. The minister promised to regulate the functioning of the office within a week’s time.
When residents raised fears of large scale flooding at the old market due to land filing carried out for parking and to create the Opinion Poll square, the Minister told the WRD officials to conduct a hydrological study of the water flow and put in place all measures before April to rule out flooding. “With land filling, the WRD should create water channels to drain out flood water,” he said.
The TCP Minister further said that the government will go ahead with the Borda ring road project, saying it will take two years to complete.
