Team Herald
VASCO: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has assured to fulfil most of the demands of Verna Industries Association (VIA) within six months.
At the 14th annual general body meeting of VIA in Verna on Friday, newly-elected VIA president Damodar Kochkar raised the estate’s key issues, including lack of raw water for the last two years, erratic power supply, and the pending work of underground cabling.
“We have over 300 small and big industries, including multinational industries, operating from Verna IDC. It provides employment to over 15,000 people, but we still have to face a water crisis. Against our demand for over 10 MLD of water, the Public Works Department (PWD) supplies only 1 to 1.5 MLD of water per day. To overcome this, the PWD decided to lay down a water pipeline that can supply over 20 MLD to the units, but the pipeline tendering work is yet be completed. Industries have to depend on alternative sources, which are water tankers and bore wells,” said Kochkar.
He continued, “The power supply scenario is the same and has been like that since 2002. Additionally, the demand for underground cabling is yet to become reality. It’s as if industries are the last priority. If small villages like Loutolim can get underground cabling, why can’t Verna IDC?”
Kochkar also requested Parsekar to improve the streetlights and law-and-order scenario, install traffic signals at Birla junction and Titan junction, resolve the garbage issue, and demarcate a truck terminal with all amenities so that parking of trucks beside the road could be stopped.
VIA founder-president Nitin Kunkolienkar stressed on the need to improve road and rail connectivity in the State and the need to complete the Verna-MPT four-lane road for the transportation of cargo to and from the industrial estate. He said, “We need good roads and port connectivity. Most of our issues will be solved if the Verna-MPT road is completed. Similarly, doubling of railway tracks is needed to overcome the dependency on road transport. There is also a need to change the guidelines for transfers, subleasing and allotments of plots, reduction of taxes (sales tax). The government should also fill the vacant posts in Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC).”
CM Parsekar assured to personally resolve not only the issues of water and electricity, but even minute issues that were hindering the growth of industries. He said, “I know the importance of industries, and that is why my government is trying to create an investor-friendly environment through various policies, including the investment policy. 46 new industries have come forward to set up units in Goa, but what I need is the support of industrialists. Let us come together and contribute to the growth of Goa. I assure you that all problems will be resolved in a phased manner; most issues will be solved within six months.”
GIDC chairman Ganesh Gaonkar and Industries Minister Mahadev Naik also assured to resolve most of the issues and added that the government was already trying to fill the vacant posts at GIDC.
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