Team Herald
MARGAO: Taking objections to the term “nationalisation of rivers,” Union Minister for Inland Waterways Nitin Gadkari said he would not implement it in Goa if people opposed it and recommended a change in the public transport system in Goa to eco-fuel.
Gadkari also mooted the idea of a ferry service to transport tourists from the airport directly to their hotels.
“I am committed to protecting the environment and do not wish to undertake anything in Goa against the wishes of the people,” he said, adding that even the coal hub at Mormugao Port would be shifted to the new port in Vijaydurg in Maharashtra, if Goans so wished.
Briefing media persons after a review meeting of the officials on Tuesday, he clarified that under the Central Act only rivers that are registered for navigation can avail of central grants to construct jetties and also dredge rivers to increase transportation by water, which is not only cheaper, but also eco friendly.
“It is not right to say ‘nationalisation of rivers’ because the rivers will remain in Goa as they cannot be taken away, and its management and maintenance will be done by Goa government and not the centre,” he said.
Responding to the gram sabhas in Goa objecting to the coal hub being set up in Mormugao, he said he would shift that too, if the people so desired. However, he pointed out that transportation by water is cheaper.
“Just like we are spending money on National Highways which are managed and maintained by the Goa PWD, we can grant funds to develop only those rivers which are notified as waterways and that is what the Goa government has asked for its rivers,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said there was no proposal to construct another or a satellite port in Goa and specified that the proposal for a port at Betul had been dropped.
CRUISE VESSELS: Announcing that a Mumbai to Goa cruise service will be launched by December, he also said more international cruises will be calling at Mormugao Port Trust and hoped there were no objections from Goan to these cruise vessels too.
ECO-FRIENDLY vehicles: Asserting that he is committed to protecting the environment he strongly suggested converting to eco-friendly vehicles like ethanol gas or LNG or electricity and revealed that in his constituency there are already 55 buses running on bio-thermal fuel.
FERRY SERVICE FROM AIRPORT: He announced that the Mormugao Port was willing to accept the tourists arriving in Goa from Dabolim airport so that they can be transported directly to their hotels by ferries.
for which the hotels are going to be given permission to set up floating jetties to receive the guests.
“While it will decongest the roads which are presently used to transport the tourists, it would a thrilling experience to the visitors to see Goa by sea also,” he said.
He said the government was also studying to have the facility of transportation to the Mopa airport by waterways through construction of a special canal as in Venice.
