Team Herald
CUNCOLIM: Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vijai Sardesai on Sunday said that the government will stop import of fish from outside the State this week.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Goa Forward Party office in Cuncolim, he said, “You have all come here today, because you support a Goan govt, not a BJP or any other party govt”.
He said the government does not have a machinery to test the formalin in the fish imported from the East Coast. People have been demanding to ban import of fish from outside the state. As Cuncolkars are always considered to be krantikaris, you, including all the Goans have a right to question the government about its accountability (Ixeop).
He said the government wants people of Goa to have fish which is not contaminated. “How will we know if the imported fish is not laced with formalin? We cannot, simply because we don’t have the facility to check the formalin in fish. So in accordance with the National Population Survey of India, Goans have the right to demand eatables which are healthy.
“In order to clear the doubts of the people, who are avoiding to buy fish in the market, the government will sanction a Rs 15 cr laboratory to be set up in Goa, because we want to give in the demands of Goans who are asking the government to stop food/eatables which can lead to cancer,” he added.
Vijai flayed the Congress for going and checking fish in the Margao market. “Congress members conducted the first test, but forgot to do the second test to verify it. It was only a gimmick,” he said.
He requested all Cunkolkars to be united and carry Cuncolim forward with the Goa Forward Party.
Stating the work of the underground power cabling in Cuncolim will commence soon Vijai informed that the Letter of Intent, which has been approved, will be handed over to the contractor namely Padmashree by Monday.
He said former minister Joaquim Alemao had earlier complained with regards to the frequent power outages in the constituency and had demanded a separate power sub division for Cuncolim, which is now in Aquem. “I have received the order regarding the shifting of the substation and now AE Borkar will function from Cuncolim and the people will now be spared the long trip of visiting the Aquem power house,” he added.
“People know me more as an opposition MLA and known to take on the government on several issues and it is the duty of the opposition MLA to be the voice of the people,” he added. He said the former MLA Joaquim has said that he worked for the welfare of the people of Cuncolim both while he was in the ruling and in the opposition.
He said during the current BJP regime slaughtering of animals at the Goa Meat Complex has been done under Section 144 and under police protection.
Among others present were Yuri Alemao, Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar and Fr Manuel Dias parish priest of Cuncolim.
