TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar today said that time was running out for M/s Arihant Ship Breakers to remove the remains of M V River Princess buried off Sinquerim-Candolim coast and the company would be given a last chance to come forward with its action plan.
“The monitoring committee will be meeting in the next one week to take stock of the situation,” said Parulekar pointing out that the company which had been given 12 days to come forth with its action plan to complete the work, in December last year, has not yet submitted any proposal.
“We intend directing them to complete the work before the monsoons or the government will have to initiate stern action against them.”
Parulekar said that there were less than three months of fair weather left and the government is keen to see that whatever is still buried under the sea bed is removed 100 per cent.
“While no payments will be released till the work is done to the satisfaction of the government and certified by the NIO,” Parulekar said “the government won’t hesitate to move the court of law in case of any further lapses on the part of the company,” he reiterated.
In the meanwhile, the tourism ministry is finalising tender documents to be released for two major tasks that need to be put in place before the next season.
“The tender for the comprehensive beach cleaning scheme and for beach safety management will be out by the end of February and beginning of March respectively,” said Parulekar. He disclosed that the CRZ has finally granted clearances to the tourism ministry to set up mahiti ghars along the State’s coastline.
“We have put up one sample unit at Anjuna,” the tourism ministry said adding that 14 such mahiti ghars will dot the beach belt of Goa providing all kinds of tourism related services.
