Party stops short of calling for scrapping
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on Wednesday resolved that Goa government should put on hold the proposed Mopa Greenfield international airport project until the facilities at Dabolim airport are fully utilized and revert to the old school timings.
These were among the four resolutions passed by the CLP that met Wednesday, a day ahead of AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh visit scheduled for Thursday. Singh will renew the exercise of selecting a new president for the GPCC by meeting party men.
The meeting attended by seven of the nine Congress MLAs also criticized the deteriorating law and order situation under the Parrikar regime and the high rates of road tax imposed by the government.
“Mopa can wait… as and when the issue comes up, it can be tackled,” CLP spokesman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco told media after the CLP meet on Wednesday.
He said the government should instead focus on expanding the Dabolim terminus and parking facility for which the Centre has already sanctioned Rs 500 crore. The legislator was however tight lipped on whether the main opposition party was intending to demand the scrapping of the project.
“Mopa issue was discussed at length and we came to a resolution that it can wait,” he told media. Sources said that the meeting also decided that the leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane was authorized to meet the Centre and push for the completion and the inauguration of the Dabolim expansion project.
The CLP members also expressed displeasure over the extended school timings and demanded that government revert to old school hours. “The issue is concerning the parents, teachers and students. They are facing considerable hardships due to the increase in school timings,” he said.
The third key issue discussed at the CLP meeting was the deteriorating law and order situation. Lourenco alleged that lawlessness in the State is a result of government’s lax attitude towards curbing the menace.
“The law and order situation has deteriorated. There is complete lawlessness. The government should take stock of the present situation and curb crimes,” he said.
