This comes on the heels of the government’s failure to hold its promised meeting with the North Goa Collector and representatives of the village in an effort to acquire land at Porvorim.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on April 24 promised to hold the meeting within 15 days. With the deadline long gone, some irate villagers have decided to break away from the BJP.
The villagers are even more vexed as the panchayat overruled an unanimous resolution to hold a special gram sabha at St Bartholemeo High School. At this gram sabha, the local MLA, chief minister, and GSIDC officials would be invited and questioned about the delay in constructing the bridge. The panchayat instead decided to hold an ordinary gram sabha on May 31.
The bridge connecting the mainland to the State’s biggest island has remained a pipedream for nearly two decades. No serious political initiatives have been taken, but the issue has always been raked up before elections. Sources claim that political interests in the issue have superseded public interest, as several minor bridges have seen the light of day.
Attempts to contact local MLA Anand Shet on his mobile were unsuccessful.
