Team Herald

PANJIM:  Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan 'Na khaunga, na khane dunga' (would not take bribes, nor let anyone do so), Congress has decided to seek his intervention into the alleged multi-crore scam into illumination contract of the Atal Setu. 

Addressing media persons on Thursday, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar slammed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is also chairman of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) for failing to take action in the alleged scam, wherein the contractor L &T purchased the street light poles, LED fixtures at a cost of Rs 7.3 crore, and has billed GSIDC Rs 45 crore for the same. 

"We would be writing to Prime Minister seeking his intervention and necessary directions to Goa government for investigation and action into the alleged corruption. PM has always said ‘Na khaunga, na khane dunga’ and hence, we expect him to act in this matter," he said. 

Chodankar has once again reiterated his demand that Chief Minister should immediately file FIR against senior GSIDC officials, members of the Board and the consultant M/s TPF Engineering Pvt Ltd for criminal conspiracies. 

GSIDC in a press statement issued earlier had termed the allegations made by the President of Congress party as false, baseless and devoid of factual position. It had said that the project work is ongoing and that GSIDC is yet to complete the same and rates are also yet to be finalised. Until the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) finalises the rates, no payment can be done to the contractor L&T. 

Notify and adopt CZMP, which is drafted by villages: GPCC

GPCC spokesperson Tulio De Souza demanded that the government should immediately issue an order stating that all the Coastal zone management plan (CZMP), which are being drafted by the villages, will be notified and that the same will be adopted by the Chennai based National Center for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM). 

De Souza raised doubts on whether NCSCM will accept the village plans and make the necessary changes. "And hence it is important that government issues order in this regard," he demanded.