TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Water Resources Minister Dayanand Mandrekar turned Santa Claus on Monday as he went on a foundation stone laying spree in Velim constituency, even as the black topping of the road to Sarzora Lake kicked up a row of sorts with the project coming in for objection from the local sarpanch.
Projects worth Rs 3.5 crore were launched in Velim constituency on Monday by Mandrekar in the presence of Velim MLA Benjamin this morning. The minister hopped from one village to another laying the foundation stone for the works under the Water Resources Ministry with Benjamin in tow. Projects were initiated at Velim village, Assolna, Sarzora, Chinchinim and Dicarpale.
The Minister told the media that the projects will be completed in a time bound manner.
By evening, a row broke out over the foundation stone laid at Sarzora for the black toping of the road to the Sarzora lake.
Sarzora Sarpanch Jacinto Fernandes told the media that the government appears going ahead with black toping of the existing katcha road lead to the lake when the people are opposed to the project. “The government has not taken anyone into confidence before laying the foundation stone for the black toping of the road to the Sarzora lake. Even the gram sabha had opposed any development of the road to the lake, other than utilising the lake water for the purpose of irrigation”, Sarpanch Jacinto said.
He has now disclosed plans to call a special meeting of the Panchayat to discuss the situation arising out of the government’s move to lay the foundation stone for the black toping of the road. “When the previous Congress government had initiated a project to black top the road and beautify the lake, it had come under opposition from the people. We fail to understand why the present government is bulldozing with the project despite opposition”, Jacinto demanded to know.
