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CANACONA
Furious over the State government's decision to scrap the proposed Rs 21 crore indoor stadium at Poinguinim, former sports minister Ramesh Tawadkar has said the people of Canacona would be the eventual victims of the government's "hidden agenda".
Tawadkar was reacting to Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar's reply to Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes in the Assembly on Wednesday that the State government had "decided to drop the project on administrative grounds as it was not found to be feasible".
Land had been acquired for the project, the work was tendered and Tawadkar had even laid the foundation stone on December 8, 2016 for the ambitious project at Poinguinim, to be used for the National Games. "The BJP-led government is showing its true colours by scrapping a hard-earned and long-awaited sports structure for the people of Canacona. The project was not for Tawadkar, but for the people of Canacona and they will be the eventual victims of this government's hidden agenda," said Tawadkar, while speaking to The Goan.
Stating that almost a year had been spent to acquire land from Poinguinim panchayat, Tawadkar said a considerable effort had also gone to complete formalities, allot the tender and make financial provisions for the proposed indoor stadium.
Suspecting the involvement of former colleagues in the Canacona BJP block, Tawadkar said, "I cannot rule out the hidden agenda of some local BJP leaders since the foundation stone laid in December 2016 was broken to pieces before assembly elections."
"Now, it is for present Canacona MLA to complete projects initiated during my tenure, as people did not show faith in me and defeated me in the polls. After all, development works are a continuous process and let the present MLA fight for this indoor stadium for the people of Canacona."
"I am neither in BJP nor have I any powers, but I will continue my fight individually and give justice to people of Canacona," he added.
Canacona BJP chief to ask govt to reconsider decision
CANACONA: Claiming that he was completely in the dark over the State government's decision to scrap the proposed indoor stadium at Poinguinim, Canacona Block BJP President Mahesh Naik said he would request the government to reconsider its decision on the project.
"I simply cannot understand why the State government has scrapped such a long awaited project, which could have brought Canacona taluka on the national sports map by holding the National Games at this proposed stadium," Naik said. "This is a sheer loss to the people of Canacona. Why and how government took this decision to scrap the project is not known to me and I am completely in the dark," said Naik, who was incidentally the sarpanch of Poinguinim when the foundation stone was laid for the project. "I have decided to approach the State government with a request to reconsider its decision on this project," Naik added.
