PORVORIM: The entire question-hour in the State Legislative Assembly was washed out on the first day after Opposition members rushed to the Well of the House aggrieved over the postponement of Legislative Assembly Questions (LAQs).
As soon as the House met, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant postponed two questions, including a starred question, regarding the status of the Mopa Greenfield Airport project while, Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate postponed two others to be answered for the next Assembly session.
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Also two questions pertaining to the number of COVID-19 deaths and oxygen deficiency in the State were postponed by Sawant as Health Minister Vishwajit Rane was not present in the House.
This annoyed Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, who said the government is postponing their questions when this was likely to be the last session of the current term.
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco joined him complaining that the government is postponing important questions regarding the alleged usurpation of land belonging to the Comunidade of Serula.
He demanded that the government institute an inquiry by a retired High Court judge in the grabbing of comunidade plots by allegedly forging documents.
The Chief Minister told them that some questions had to be postponed as the information sought was voluminous. Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Reginaldo, Khaunte and Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar joined them.
Speaker Rajesh Patnekar told them that the Ministers can seek postponement if it is not possible to collect the information in time.
He also requested members not to ask questions that are too detailed because information has to be collected, collated and given within a time frame. The Minister also has to verify the replies as ultimately he/she is held responsible.
As Opposition members were in no mood to relent, the Speaker adjourned the House till 12.30 pm.
