Team Herald
PANJIM: Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday lambasted the BJP government for not completing important cyclone risk mitigation works on time, despite having a budget of hundreds of crores with aid from the World Bank.
Stating that a similar apathy on the issue of oxygen supply and COVID preparedness has cost hundreds of Goans their lives, AAP leader Captain Venzy Viegas questioned whether the Chief Minister would also act on cyclone protection measures only after hundreds of Goans die?
Captain Viegas, who has been tracking the storm for the past few days, said that Goa today came dangerously close to being in the eye of the cyclone Tauktae, and only a last-minute change in the predicted track of the cyclone saved the State from large-scale destruction.
Captain Viegas recalled that in July 2015, the State was included with other coastal States in the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Programme having a budget of Rs 2361.35 crore. But over the years, despite the State government’s various announcements laying of foundation stones and other photo-ops, Captain Viegas stated that Goa remains woefully unprepared for a major cyclonic event like today’s.
“Projects such as cyclone shelters, saline embankments etc were proposed as part of the programme, but none have yet seen the light of day. Even as of October 2020, the Chief Minister had announced that 12 Multi-Purpose Cyclone Shelter (MPCS) projects are coming up in various places in the State, and he even claimed that 50-80 per cent work is already completed. However, no one has yet seen or heard of these shelters,” Captain Viegas said.
Captain Viegas added that had such shelters been completed on time, they could even serve as temporary COVID isolation facilities when not used for cyclone protection.
Referring to reports of widespread destruction along the coast, Captain Viegas lamented that Goa’s poor disaster preparedness was exposed yet again, with major power outages and flooding witnessed across the State.
The Captain accused the BJP government of being proactive and well-prepared only for elections or at the time of buying MLAs, and that they are not interested in governance or saving lives until Goa gets adverse media coverage in the national and international press.
