VASCO: Goa Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Jose Philip D’Souza said his party and Vasco citizens were against the proposal to deepen the river channel at Mormugao port from 14 meters to 20 meters.
Imputing ulterior motives in the proposal, under PPP model, D’Souza alleged that by deepening the river channel, the MPT wants to create erosion as that would lead to collapse of structures along Khariwado beach, which the MPT could not demolish.
At a press conference in Vasco, D’ Souza levelled allegations against BJP MLAs from Vasco and Mormugao and questioned their silence on the issue which, he claimed, would be disastrous if implemented by MPT.
“Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida has not uttered a single word on the issue. Similarly, Power Minister and Mormugao MLA Milind Naik is silent since the time MPT announced its plan to deepen the channel. Since both are in power, they should understand better that MPT’s plan is dangerous as it would submerge the entire Khariwado coast in course of time. Consequently, Khariwado fishermen will lose their houses and livelihood. It is high time that Vascokars rise up against MPT,” he said.
D’ Souza also opposed the proposed ferry services from Baina to Dona-Paula jetty. He again alleged ulterior motives as the proposed ferry service would take two hours as compared to the previous ferry service, which took only 25 minutes.
Besides that, there is also an element of risk for the people using the ferry services. He said, “This new route is chalked out with the sole intention that the entire coastal area from present harbour to Baina would come under the control of the MPT, which is hungry to grab even Baina beach like the way it grabbed Khariwado.”
He claimed that even on this issue both BJP MLAs were silent.
