Team Herald
MARGAO: South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes met a diverse set of people from various constituencies on Thursday at his newly launched ‘Zero Hour’ meetings that will take place once a week at the South Goa District Collectorate.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Fernandes maintained that this meeting is for people across party affiliations as the idea is to find solutions to the common man’s problem.
One such topic that came up is opposition to a new Wetland that is proposed to come up in Orlim village. Fernandes pointed out that amongst the people who had raised objections, was a farmer who would be affected, whose concerns were allegedly brushed aside by the officials who visited him.
Comparing what had had happened in Maimollem, Vasco, where locals had raised objections there, the MP criticised the Wetland Authority for not taking the public into confidence or informing people who live nearby in advance, given that they would lose land or their fields. He vowed to raise this issue with the concerned authority.
The MP also spoke on the Cutbona and Mobor jetty issues after meeting people from Mobor side, who complained about how they too are facing the brunt of boat repair activity at the jetty based in the village, due to the lack of adequate sanitation and cleanliness facilities.
Fernandes said he would visit Cutbona in the days to come and wanted to see what measures are being put to see that such an incident is not repeated and no more ‘precious lives’ are lost.
He is expected to check out the Mobor jetty situation as well.
Amongst other issues discussed were how some families are not allowed to have roads to their houses and the MP said access is a fundamental right to all.