Team Herald
MARGAO: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar on Monday accused the government of insensitivity given the fact that a death was reported on the Goan beach making it a third case of drowning in just 10 days and accused the tourism minister of being pre-occupied with only his “30 per cent commission” mission.
He demanded the immediate sacking of Tourism Minister Manohar Babu Ajgaonkar and a thorough probe in the functioning of Ms Drishti Lifesaving which was paid Rs 141 crore on beach safety and lifeguarding contract and another Rs 67 crore on beach cleaning contract awarded to them.
He expressed solidarity with the striking lifeguards who have been ill treated to such an extent that they were not even provided drinking water besides also not giving them necessary equipment such as walkie talkies and not paying their salaries in time.
Girish asked the government to take all the lifeguards under its ambit and provide life saving services on the beach under the supervision of ex-servicemen which he said would bring about discipline and also cut down the cost.
He wondered whether the chief minister wants to convert Goa into a “drowning destination” as he has not yet informed who is providing safety on the beaches even though the tourism minister in reply to a question in the Assembly had said that the contract with Drishti Lifesaving expired on June 30.
Dismissing all claims made by Drishti of the lives they have saved, Girish said that was nothing but “jumlabaazi or chicanery” that they have learnt from their masters, the BJP.
Using the viral video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleaning the Mahabalipuram Beach, Girish asked the chief minister to send a formal invitation to Modi to come to Goa to give Goan beaches a touch up.
While admitting that Drishti has sent a defamation notice to him, Girish said, “He is not afraid of such notices which are aimed only to silence him and said he will continue to expose the company’s misdeeds.”
