PANAJI
Congress on Monday labelled the opposition to the Bainguinim garbage treatment plant by Union AYUSH Minister and North Goa MP Shripad Naik as “nothing but a jumla” on the backdrop of the upcoming Zilla Panchayat.
Speaking at a press conference at Congress House, Cumbharjua Block Congress President and ZP candidate Vishal Volvoikar stated, “This opposition to the Bainguinim garbage treatment plant by Union Minister Shripad Naik is nothing but a jumla to fool the voters of Cumbarjua constituency and to facilitate the victory of his son, Siddhesh Naik. I challenge the Union Minister Shripad Naik to walk the talk and compel Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to scrap the project before Zilla Panchayat elections. If he does that, I will withdraw my candidature as Zilla Panchayat.”
He was accompanied by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Amarnath Panjikar, Congress leader Rudolf Fernandes, St Andre Block President Tony Fernandes.
Recalling the fight against the garbage menace led by by his mother late Victoria Fernandes for the residents of St Cruz Constituency and surrounding areas, Congress leader Rudolf Fernandes charged the BJP government was involved in corruption over waste management while failing to bring in a convincing and effective technology to treat the garbage effectively.
“Shripad Naik was not seen during any of the agitation against the Bainguinim plant. My mother monitored the Kadamba plateau and Curca area day and night when people started dumping the garbage and the same remained untreated for months together. The surrounding areas including the low-lying Chimbel was badly affected with the wells getting contaminated. I am surprised that Naik woke up from the slumber now,” Fernandes said.
St Andre Block President Tony Fernandes demanded that the government must not go against the people’s sentiments and urged the Chief Minister to scrap the project.
