Team Herald
MARGAO: The government has pulled up its socks to make the BRICS summit a grand success and has beefed up the meetings and information flow from all levels.
However, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-16 Cup games scheduled in the same months at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is set to strain the entire security system and also the basic facilities delivery system in the entire of Goa.
The BRICS summit is scheduled to be held in Goa in October and the government has started preparations on war footing for the international summit. BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The previous BRICS summit was held in the Russian city of Ufa in Bashkortostan. Inheriting a successful summit last year has raised the stakes for this year’s summit in the sectors of infrastructure and security.
Meetings of the South Goa District Collector, Margao Police, Maina Curtorim Police, Colva police and coastal police have been regularly happening nowadays.
However, the dates of the AFC U-16 Cup which is supposed to be held at Fatorda Stadium here are coinciding with the summit. The collector and the police have just been informed about the same. The official announcement is supposed to happen on Thursday or Friday. Nearly 18 matches will be played at Fatorda stadium.
The BRICS summit will be held in Goa on 15th or 16th and over eight thousand delegates are expected to arrive for this international summit. Besides BRICS delegates, representatives from 8-10 other countries are expected to arrive at the Summit.
According to the collector, the summit will be held at the Leela Beach Resort, Varca and other programmes will be held at Zuri White Sands Resort and Park Hyatt in Arossim.
“Some more hotels have been booked for the delegates of other countries,” Collector Swapnil Naik said. He also informed that the Government of Goa has been entrusted with traffic and security arrangements, cleanliness and also basic amenities. “The local administration has also been provided funds to get ready for the BRICS summit,” Swapnil Naik said.
Naik informed that the help of paramilitary forces has also been sought along with the Goa Police. The district administration has taken up the task of making the event a success and has been hosting several meetings with the police and discussing the various checks and modalities of the events. However, as the AFC U-16 cup has been announced and is likely to coincide with the BRICS the administration will have an uphill task to keep an eye on both the events.
