Team Herald
PANJIM: Congress has urged Goa Governor Dr Mridula Sinha to direct State government to issue a white paper on the proposed multi-modal logistics park in Panjim by the Central government under Bharatmala Pariyojana.
In a letter to Governor, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar has demanded a white paper on the project specifying the exact location, number of job creation, availability of infrastructure like water, power, etc.
“We request you to direct the Government of Goa to issue a white paper on the proposed Multi-Modal Logistics Park in Panjim,” he stated in the letter.
Kawthankar informed that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, in an answer given to an unstarred question in the Parliament, had revealed that Panjim is identified as a location for setting up multi-modal logistics park.
He said that the capital city is already congested with the scarcity of land and the proposed project requires huge land for setting up the required infrastructure.
The Congress leader expressed shock over the fact that self governing authorities like the City Corporation or the surrounding village panchayats have not been taken into confidence nor has any public hearing been undertaken for a project of this magnitude.
“While the Government of India made this announcement in the Parliament nobody in the State Government seems to be aware of the project and this itself is an indicator of the fact that the Governments at the Centre and the State have neither respect nor concern for the people of Goa,” he stated.
Kawthankar said that there is fear and anxiety in the minds of the people that generally a multi-modal logistics park will require a container terminal and as Panjim is at an intersection of Mumbai – Edipally and Panaji – Belgaum Highways and there is no rail line running nearby. “The only other mode of transport besides roads will be water and thus new jetties will have to be constructed in River Mandovi which is already polluted due to numerous casino vessels and their feeder boats”, he added.
Kawthankar said that more infrastructure or pressure on River Mandovi will severely affect the biodiversity and ecology of the surrounding areas permanently.
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Cong Hits back at parrikar for allegations against Rahul
MARGAO: The Congress party, Goa unit, has hit back at Chief Minister Parrikar for his allegations against Rahul Gandhi by calling Parrikar a big liar. Former minister and Congress spokesperson Jitendra Deshprabhu said, “The whole nation knows that Rahul Gandhi doesn’t lie and hasn’t lied till date. But I know that Manohar Parrikar is a big liar. He has lied on many occasions on the floor of the House where I have been a legislature for 10 years while he was the leader of the opposition and the CM of Goa.” Deshprabhu stated that he had even called him a liar on the floor of the House and that has not been expunged. “In my opinion Rahul Gandhi is truthful in whatever he said and whatever he heard and spoke. But I cannot give the same leverage to Parrikar who has lied many times not only to the House but to everyone,” Deshprabhu said.
