Ravi offers to quit NH-4A committee

Ravi offers to quit NH-4A committee
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
PONDA, APRIL 10
In an unexpected move, Home Minister Ravi Naik on Saturday offered to step down as head of the NH 4A alignment committee, barely a day after the committee was constituted to study the alignment along the Panjim-Mollem highway.
Claiming he was unaware of the decision to appoint him to head the committee, Naik has, instead, requested PWD Minister Churchill Alemao to head the committee.
“I was only aware that a committee would be formed to study the NH 4A alignment and I was unaware that I had been appointed the head of the committee. I feel it will be right for the PWD minister to take over the committee and I could be a member in it,” said Naik, while addressing a press conference in the city.
“Being the PWD minister, it would be appropriate for Alemao to be the chairman of the committee, as is the case with select committees of the legislative assembly where the concerned minister is always the chairman,” said the home minister.
Naik was confident that there would be minimal damage to houses and other establishments since the proposal to maintain the width of 45 metres of the NH4A has been accepted by the Centre.
“The Central government has already accepted the state government’s proposal to maintain a 45-metre width as announced by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat recently. But the committee must explore all means to avoid damage to religious structures and residential houses along the route,” said Naik.