PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that several projects under the Smart City mission have begun and would be completed shortly.
“Rejuvenation of St Inez creek, sewerage system, storm water drainage and other works like creating walking, cycling track have already been taken up,” former Panjim MLA Siddharth Kunkalienkar said.
He said that the scientific studies of St Inez creek, storm water drainage and sewerage system have being carried out. “The mapping work for the storm water drainage has begun. Panjim was the first city to get sewerage system in the 1960s. It has aged now. It will be replaced without causing inconvenience to the residents,” he said.
Also, GSIDC, which is implementing the Smart City project has floated a RFP for transportation in the city. Similarly, a Community Centre at Ribandar, parking plan, and other projects are being simultaneously carried out.
“Smart City is just not infrastructure but beyond that. It aims to provide basic necessary amenities to the city,” Kunkalienkar said taking a dig at Congress for being ignorant about the scheme. “We need smart people, not dumb,” he commented asking the party to end its attitude of double standards.
On the grounded offshore casino vessel M V Lucky 7, BJP leader Dattaprasad Naik pointed its connection with Congress. “Gopal Kanda (owner of the vessel) became an MLA in 2009 in Haryana and supported Congress. He became the Home Minister of that State. During this same period, Goa had Congress-rule. So one can understand the connection,” he claimed stating that the BJP-led Goa government has ensured that untreated sewage of the offshore casinos is not released in River Mandovi.
