Team Herald
VASCO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday appealed to Goans to come forward and provide any information on drug abuse or drug peddling in their area and assured that their identity would be kept confidential.
He was speaking to reporters after reviewing the progress of market complex project at Birla, Zuarinagar, along with Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha and other officials of state administration.
“I want to appeal to the people that if anyone has any information on drugs, they can pass on the same to me and I assure that their names will be kept confidential. Similarly, I have also written to ministers and MLAs that if they have any specific information on drugs, they can provide the same to me and through ANC, prompt action will be initiated. I don’t feel scared of threats or anything as I was the Defence Minister and I know how to take care of myself,” Parrikar said.
While giving information about the ongoing drive by the Goa Police to curb the drug menace in the state, he said in recent times, Goa Police had booked 38 cases under NDPS Act and seized drugs worth around Rs 40 lakh.
These are mostly small drug retailers and not the big dealers. Even big drug dealers will be apprehended. Presently, our aim is to destroy the user network and then go behind the source. Also any premises, which are been used for drug abuse or peddling, are under the police scanner, he added.
When asked about the claims made by Minister for Water Resources Vinod Palyekar regarding threat to his life, Parrikar informed that police have taken action and it was just a threat perception; police have to ensure that there is no threat to him.
To a question whether state government will provide special security cover to Palyekar, Parrikar assured that the government had the security threat committee, which will take appropriate cognisance and provide whatever security cover is required to the minister.
In this case, there is no specific threat. The minister has claimed that when he was going around, some people were following him. It is also possible that those who were following him might actually wanted to talk to him. I won’t call it speculations as he felt something suspicious and since he has raised the drugs issue there are possibilities that someone with vested interest in drug dealing, may be either trying to compromise or threaten him. The matter is presently looked by the police, he clarified.
Meanwhile, commenting on the incomplete Cortalim market project, Parrikar informed that the work would be completed within two months and attributed the delay to financial issues, which he assured had been resolved.
On the market project at Birla, Zuarinagar, Parrikar informed that directions have been issued to ensure that the project gets completed as per schedule.
