Team Herald

PANJIM: State Congress President Girish Chodankar on Monday slammed Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant for his visit to Russia at a time when several people in the State are reeling under flood-like situations.

Speaking to media persons, Chodankar said Sawant should have stayed back in Goa to monitor situation in the worst affected villages of Sal and Ibrahimpur, instead of flying to Russia on a government junket.

He said that the damage caused to the two villages was due to the release of accumulated water at the Tillari dam and failure of the authorities to give advance warning to the villagers. 

"Instead of travelling to Russia, Sawant should have stayed back in Goa to monitor the flood crisis in his State. The two border villages Sal and Ibrahimpur have been washed away because of lack of co-ordination between Maharashtra and Goa governments, with regards to the release of water from the Tillari Dam," Chodankar informed media at the State Congress headquarters.

Sawant left for a two-day visit to Russia on Sunday as part of a delegation led by Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was part of the delegation, had withdrawn from the tour following major flooding in several parts of that State. 

"The floods in Sal and Ibrahimpur are not a natural calamity, it has happened due to government negligence," Chodankar said, urging the State government to provide urgent relief to the residents of the two villages.