TEAM HERALD
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CALANGUTE: Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar on Tuesday visited Baga and Calangute to take stock of the development works undertaken in the coastal belt of Calangute.
Parulekar visited the Baga fishermen ramp along with Joseph Sequeira, Calangute Deputy Sarpanch Savio Gonsalves, Panchas Vinayak Subhash Salgaonkar, Jainath Parulekar, Filomena Fernandes, Paulo Mathias D’Souza and Saligao Sarpanch Eknath Oraskar and apprised himself of the difficulties faced by the fishermen in the absence of jetty at Baga. After giving a patient hearing, Parulekar assured to look into the matter.
Parulekar later visited the GTDC plot at Baga and was explained the difficulties faced by the locals if a shack is set up by GTDC. Parulekar is understood to have agreed to the suggestion of the locals and the panchayat against setting up of a shack at Baga by GTDC.
Parulekar then visited Poriat Football Ground at Tivai Vaddo, Calangute, and acquainted himself of the facilities available at the ground. He also acceded to Sequeira’s request to handover the possession of the Poriat Football Ground to Calangute Panchayat after due process.
Speaking to Herald, Sequeira said the tourism minister visited the Baga jetty at the request of Calangute Panchayat to apprise himself of the difficulties faced by the fishermen of the area. “We are more concerned about development and are not concerned of any politics over the issue,” he added.
“The tourism minister has assured to look into the development of jetty at Baga and handover the Poriat Football Ground at Calangute to the Calangute Panchayat after due process,” added Sequeira.
When contacted, Lobo said: “I was not even aware that the tourism minister is visiting my Calangute constituency. I am really surprised with the development and do not know why the minister visited Baga and Calangute. May be Calangute Panchayat must have invited him to Baga.”
Asked if the tourism minister visited Baga to throw his weight behind Sequeira over the developmental war between him and Sequeira, Lobo shot back saying: “It’s for you to judge and decide, but I have nothing to say.”
