Team Herald

PORVORIM:  Reiterating on the Floor of the House that there is nothing called nationalisation of rivers, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said he has no idea about nationalisation of any rivers in Goa, even as MLAs from the ruling and opposition benches raised apprehension over ownership rights of the proposed Khariwada jetty at Vasco, to be constructed by Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). 

Parrikar, left no stone unturned to take a dig at the Congress, over their objection to the Centre sponsoring and constructing the jetty, by stating, “Your government (Congress) was not able to get even Rs 100 crore during seven years in power, while BJP has managed to get funds to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore.”

The Chief Minister was replying during Question Hour, when MLAs cited concerns that MPT will hold control on the operation of the proposed jetty, since they are constructing it with 25 percent funding.

MLAs, including Carlos Almeida, Churchill Alemao, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Luizinho Faleiro demanded that the State Fisheries Department should own the right to operate the jetty.

“Centre is funding 75 percent of the project through MPT, which is only the executing agency. The ownership and operational powers will be vested with the State Fisheries Department,” he said, announcing to call for a joint meeting of the government, MPT, trawlers canoe association and MLAs concerned on December 20. 

State share in the project is only 25 percent and if State had to not seek support from the Centre, it would have to bear the entire cost of Rs 110 crore, Parrikar said. 

Congress MLA Lourenco that while the government is talking about holding rights over rivers post nationalisation, it is giving powers to MPT to infringe into State rights. To this Parrikar replied, “We don’t know nationalisation of any river. He (Reginald) may be aware which rivers are nationalised.” 

The initial question was raised by Vasco BJP MLA Almeida, who sought to know why MPT is constructing the jetty, when it will be completed and what are the various facilities proposed. He brought to the notice of the House that MPT has requested for conducting a public hearing on the project to Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), which is crucial for preparing the EIA report. 

The MLA expressed anguish over the reply Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar was giving. Palyekar was on the back foot with lack of information, forcing Parrikar to intervene. “The Minister and the department have no idea what is status of the project, for which the foundation stone was laid a year ago,” the MLA said. 

The Chief Minister assured to direct GSPCB to expedite the public hearing in order to conduct the EIA study.