PANJIM: Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar, who has been backing the Manohar Parrikar led coalition government in the State, on Tuesday resigned as chairman of Goa Forest Development Corporation (GFDC) stating “injustice” by the government.
Gaonkar submitted his resignation to the office of Forest Minister Parrikar and also to the Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma.
Addressing media persons, Gaonkar expressed his unhappiness over the functioning of the government and the step-motherly treatment meted out to the Corporation and to him. “For last 15 months I am struggling to revive this Corporation. I tried my best to put the department in place. However, there is no support from the government at all. The new schemes proposed are rejected, no proper staff and no funds are released,” he said.
He said that the Corporation functioned without a Managing Director for five months before Nikhil Desai was given additional charge a month ago. “Forest Minister himself is not there… so what more you can expect,” he said, hinting at Parrikar’s absence.
“I extended support to Parrikar thinking that this government will do something for the people of Sanguem. But injustice has been meted out to me and my people,” the MLA said.
The Sanguem MLA is part of the alliance that has been supporting Parrikar. He said he is unhappy with the functioning of the government. “The administration has come to standstill,” he stated.
Speaking about the Corporation, Gaonkar alleged that the government has neglected the corporation as no efforts were made to revive it by giving it more powers. “For now, we are only dealing with cashew plantation, botanical garden, nurseries and rubber plantation. In this, cashew plantation and botanical garden are our focus points,” he said.
