MARGAO
With key opposition members in the Goa Legislative Assembly, including Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai, AAP MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, hailing from Salcete, expectations are high that issues plaguing Saxtti will take centre stage in the ensuing Assembly Session, beginning from Monday.
Together, the four opposition MLAs might have tabled dozens of questions on a host of issues confronting Saxttikars in particular and Goemkars in general in a bid to put the government on the mat. Issues including Dabolim airport, tourist taxi flare up, law and order and police high handedness in certain matters, new Borim bridge, Cuncolim Industrial pollution, facilities at the South district hospital and the Collectorate, besides the controversial master plan for Margao are expected to figure in the coming Assembly session.
Sunburn EDM
festival
Plans to shift the controversial Sunburn EDM festival from North to South Goa may give an armament to beat the ruling dispensation on the floor of the House. Saxtti MLAs Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao and AAP MLA Venzy Viegas have red flagged the festival in down South and may corner the government on action against the organizers for accepting bookings without permissions and sans finalizing the venue for the event scheduled in December.
Turbulence over
Dabolim airport
Though not exactly falling in Salcete jurisdiction the turbulence over the Dabolim airport is expected to find its echo in the Assembly in coming session. As the very future of the Dabolim airport hangs in balance, with airlines shifting operations to the Manohar International Airport at Mopa, Legislators from Saxtti and down South are expected to corner the government on the sensitive and emotive Dabolim, dear to the hearts of Saxttikars and South Goa people in general.
Tourist taxis vs
Goa Miles flare up
The recent flare up in the tourist taxi operations along Saxtti countryside with local tourist taxi operators locking horns with Goa Miles taxi aggregator is another issue that is expected to come up in the Assembly. Saxtti MLAs, more so after delegations of representatives called on the MLAs earlier this week seeking intervention to save their livelihoods, are expected to take the government head on to protect the interests of locals eking a living on the taxi operations business.
New Borim bridge
The sustained battle waged by the Loutolim farmers against the proposed new High Level bridge over their khazan fields is expected to have its echo in the House. The Congress as well as the Goa Forward party have come out in support of the demand of the beleaguered Loutolim farmers, who have launched a sustained movement to protect their khazans from destruction.
Other road and bridge infrastructure works undertaken or proposed by the government including the proposed NH66 is also expected to figure prominently in the Assembly.
Cuncolim industrial
pollution
The government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant may come under fire over the contentious issue of industrial pollution at the Cuncolim Industrial estate. Not a single issue dogging the Cuncolim industrial estate has been resolved till date. The hazardous zinc waste has been covered once again when the government had months ago given a sanction to transport the decade and half year old hazardous waste to the land fill site.
Pollution by the fish meal and fish processing units at the Industrial estate is another issue which has not been addressed by the government till date. While the government is in no mood to shut down the fish meal and processing plants, as demanded by the people, a common Effluent Treatment plant is yet to see light of day to treat the effluents generated at the industrial estate.
