TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Who’s responsible for the construction of the Navelim Panchayat ghar which was inaugurated on Sunday at the hands of Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar?
Claims and counter claims rent the air to take credit for the project on Sunday. While a couple of advertisements inserted in the media showered praises on former Navelim MLA Churchill Alemao for constructing the project, the Chief Minister and the Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado told Navelkars that the present government is responsible for the project commissioning after sanctioning the much needed funds.
“When I visited the panchayat building after taking over the reigns of office, the building did not resembled a Panchayat ghar, but looked like a “Bomsall”. My government must have pumped in money to the tune of Rs 30-40 lakh to complete the project in all respects,” informed the Chief Minister, while indirectly taking a dig at the previous government for launching the project without proper planning and sanction of funds.
The fisheries minister echoed similar sentiments, while thanking the chief minister for making available the funds to complete the ghar at the earliest. “Work on the panchayat ghar was left incomplete for want of funds. I thank my Chief Minister for sanctioning the required funds to complete the project at the earliest”, he said.
And, in a new twist, former RDA co-ordinator Farrel Furtado, who made her presence felt at the function, showered praises on the Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado for literally begging with the Chief Minister for release of the funds. “When I was the RDA Co-ordinator, the project was mooted during the tenure of former sarpanch Paul Pereira, who took pains to get the project going. However, I took up the project with the fisheries minister after I came to know that the contractor faced huge debt amounting to Rs 40 lakh for want of payment. Avertano, with his humble and simple nature, managed to get the required funds from the chief minister to get the project completed,” Farrel said.
Meanwhile, while complimenting the Navelim panchayat body for the excellent furnishing of the building, the chief minister has promised an elevator for the building. The chief minister also felicitated former sarpanchas Eurico Rebello, Bishut Themudo, Schubert Furtado, Ana Carneio, while Paul Pereira did not turn up. Two former employees of the Panchayat Joao Jose Pires and Suresh Desai were also honoured on the occasion.
Earlier, the Panchayat ghar was blessed by the Navelim Parish Priest Fr Jose Roque Gonsalves, while the chief minister unveiled the plaque in the presence of Avertano, Sarpanch Frank Fernandes and panchayat members.
