PANJIM: The Congress party will release its election manifesto for the Panaji constituency on Thursday, wherein BJP’s abject U-turn on moving out offshore casinos from the river Mandovi, would be a prominent highlight.
The Congress is planning to up the ante on Manohar Parrikar’s belligerent anti-casino stand while in opposition and the dramatically opposite stand of the present Chief Minister who has said that moving the casinos out would be detrimental to the economic climate of Goa.
The head of the media cell of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Ramakant Khalap said, “We will focus on all the U-turns made by the BJP government. The BJP went to every extent of calling for casinos to be sent out of the Mandovi and made several allegations against the casino industry. We are only asking why can’t the BJP be consistent in its stand and it has to explain to the people why this has changed.”
The Congress candidate Surendra Furtado had earlier said that he will revoke all the permissions given to casino related business through the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP).
Congress has fielded city Mayor Surendra Furtado as their candidate for the Panjim by-elections, scheduled on February 13. There are four more candidates in fray – Siddharth Kuncalienkar (BJP), Sadanand Vaigankar, Virendra Divkar and Dr Samir Kelekar (independent).
All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Dr A Chellakumar is in Goa to take stock of election campaign. The manifesto would be released in presence of Chellakumar, Congress president Luizinho Faleiro, leader of opposition Pratapsing Rane and other office bearers.
The manifesto will also speak about the beautification and development of the much-neglected St Inez creek, the issue that is been pending for last one decade. Rs 19 crore has been sanctioned from the Union Urban Development Ministry under JNNURM for the restoration of the creek.
A proper traffic management plan along with multi-level pay parking facilities for the congested Panjim city and solution to the garbage menace, are some of the other important promises that the Congress party will focus on in its manifesto.
The election result would be out on February 16.
‘Casinos have contributed to CCP’s waste management facilities’
The Deltin Group which runs the largest offshore casino in Goa, has said that the group and the industry at large have reached out to the CCP and contributed to ensuring that there is proper management of waste generated. Waste is properly disposed off in separate vessels. A spokesperson of the Group said “We have contributed to the upgradation of facilities in the CCP to treat this. The National Green Tribunal has certified that there is no pollution in the Mandovi due to casinos. Moreover we are not causing any navigational problems for other vessels. Therefore the only two debatable reasons for casinos to move out isn’t there.”
