PANJIM: The construction of the bridge at Keri saw sharp exchanges between Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar after Reginaldo alleged that there was pressure put on the owners and tenants to sell or give up their land.
“People wanted the bridge. But now there is pressure on them that their land will be taken over,” he said.
“If pressure is being put on anybody, let them come to me,” Parrikar declared, to which Reginaldo retorted that pressure was indeed being put. “Tenancy cases of 2 years are being reopened,” Reginaldo reiterated. After being heckled that he was from South Goa, Reginaldo asserted, “I do not have property there. But they are fighting cases in four courts.”
This incensed the chef minister who responded by saying that he “does not protect any mamlatdar.”
“I don’t call any collector to give a particular decision,” Parrikar said. He however conceded that he had received a petition that talks about a particular land but does not say that it is their land.
Initially, replying to a question by Reginaldo who asked whether a bridge is being constructed in NDZ of Keri beach to connect Keri with Tiracol, Parrikar said that bridge construction was permitted under CRZ I and that all permissions that were required under the law had been taken.
“Bridge is permitted under CRZ 1… We have taken all permission that are required under the law,” the chief minister said.
His reply stated that a bridge was being constructed in NDZ of Keri beach to connect Keri with Tiracol and the bridge was approved by the Government and the cost of the work is Rs 76,77,00,000 and the names of Consultant & Contractor are S N Bhobe & Associates Pvt Ltd & M Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd respectively.
The chief minister also said that necessary permission had been obtained from Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority for the bridge.
