PANJIM: Even as a petition has been filed in the High Court seeking stay on construction of Manohar Parrikar Memorial on Miramar beach, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has now approached the Governor against the Rs 10 crore project.
In the letter, AAP spokesperson Valmiki Naik referred to the Governor’s letter to CM Dr Pramod Sawant, recommending austerity measures due to the financial crisis as well as Coronavirus crisis being faced by Goa.
“On behalf of Aam Aadmi Party as well as all Goans, we commend your timely and necessary action, and wholeheartedly echo your statement that “the need of the hour is to make available greater resources towards COVID–19 relief measures and for reviving the economy”, Naik said.
Naik says that Governor’s advice, however, seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
“At a time when avoidable expenditure is to be curtailed, CM Sawant seems to be going ahead with non-critical projects running into crores. Please find attached photos of one such example, namely, the proposed memorial for ex-Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Work appears to be going on in full swing at this construction site at Miramar beach. In the current financial condition of the Govt of Goa, every rupee matters, yet the CM has chosen to expend crores of rupees on this project which can easily be postponed to a later date,” he explained.
Further, he says, it is very likely that there are many such projects which could be postponed or even scrapped, thereby saving the Govt hundreds of crores of rupees which it doesn’t even have the luxury of spending at the moment.
Furthermore, he says, cabinet positions, such as that of two Deputy CMs, along with perks and resources dedicated to such posts of only political convenience and of no benefit to the common man, should also be scrapped.
“We request you to curtail all wasteful and unnecessary projects and expenditures, and dedicate the same to fighting the COVID-19 crisis and providing financial relief to the aam aadmi of Goa,” he said.
