TEAM HERALD
CHORAO: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar assured United Chorao delegation and the Sarpanch of Chorao Sarpanch that he will hold a special meeting in 15 days with the Collector (north), to know the legal aspect pertaining to acquisition of land for the proposed Chorao bridge.
The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) has short listed the Chorao- Salvador-do- Mundo route as the most economical and feasible for the bridge.
Parsekar had called a meeting along with Mayem MLA Anant Shet and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, United Citizen of Chorao delegation, sarpanch of Chorao and GSIDC officers and engineers on April 24, at the Secretariat conference hall, Porvorim.
At the meeting Parsekar repeatedly assured the delegation that this is the most important bridge in Goa and it has to be given top priority. He asked for the detailed report with the Managing Director of GSIDC Sanjeet Rodrigues and engineer. When the CM asked the status of the bridge, Sanjeet Rodriques, said that the Chorao- Salvador-do- Mundo route is the most economical and feasible and has been finalized by the GSIDC.
CM asked Rodrigues why the work has stopped for the last two year to which he had no reply. Later Rodrigues said there is little problem towards Salvdor-do-Mundo side as route is passing through Serula Comunidade and some area of a private forest. CM said that bridge is an infrastructure project and everyone would benefit from it and this should be realized by all.
On this, the Convenor of United citizen of Chorao Shrikrishna Haldankar intervened and said if the government is facing problem of proposed new route then the government can consider the old existing route which can connect to the O’Coquiero circle at Porvorim. On this the CM told the delegation to call the Collector for the next meeting along with both MLA and GSIDC officer within 15 days. The message will be conveyed to the members of the delegation and panchayat.
While discussion was going on Premanand Mahambre who was present argued with UCC President Shrikrishna Haldankar that he is the person who stopped the gram sabha meetings of Chorao and Tony Noronha who is the attorney of Chorao Comunidade for not giving the NOC for the Chorao playground. In the midst of this heated argument the CM intervened and told Mahambre not to discuss any local issued accept the bridge issue.
Haldankar, secretary, Tony Rodrigues, Treasurer, Digamber Fadte, members, Xavier Paras and Sanjay Mandrekar, Chorao Sarpanch, Arti Bandodkar, member, Vassudev Dhuri, Vishal Dhuri, ex-sarpach, Premanand Mahambre, Dilip Fodekar, eng Dilip Kamat and others were present.
Meanwhile UCC members will be meeting on April 26 at St Bartholemew church hall, Karabhat-Chorao to update members on the bridge issue which was discussed with the CM on March 7 and April 24.
