Team Herald
PORVORIM: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Monday stated in the Legislative Assembly that industries were leaving the State due to frequent power outages.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
During question-hour, Sardesai pointed out that on request from Industries, the State government had purchased costly power from the open market, but the same was not supplied to industries. “The government purchased expensive power but industries did not receive it. It’s like Marathi drama `To Me Navhech’ (That’s not me),” he said adding that the industries were ready to bail out the government out of the predicament by agreeing to bear the additional cost of power purchased from the open market.
“Have you calculated the loss to industry? The government purchased expensive power but could not supply to industries,” Sardesai said demanding to know who was responsible for this. .
In his reply, Power Minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar outlined how electricity transformers and sub-stations were being upgraded in the industrial estates and said that things would be stabilised within next six months strictly by following tenders, when Sardesai sarcastically remarked whether the Power Minister would take the Shah Jahan route.
The Fatorda MLA’s remarks were directed at Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, who last week had said that Shah Jahan did not float tender for Taj Mahal and why should he for the government project ie Kala Academy’s renovation.
Dhavalikar told the House that industries were leaving for different reasons and not because of power outages. “One of the industries situated in my constituency decided to leave Goa. I know the reasons because I was it’s one of the shareholders. The main question was now to provide power to industries and to ensure that they run into profits,” he said adding that he has taken the issue seriously .
