Herald: Why is the government permitting the Tiracol golf course and resort project when it is drawing flak from the opposition parties and locals? Don’t their views matter to the government?
Laxmikant Parsekar: The government is being blamed through the media about people opposing the project. The project is coming up in my constituency (Mandrem) which has nine panchayats. Out of these, only one panchayat which has seven wards one being Tiracol has raised concerns. However, out of a population of about 160-170 not everybody is protesting.
I did not own the land in this property nor did the government sell the land (to the agency). People have sold their property. The protest now is basically because by those who initially sold the land at a lower price. Since the party wanted to expand the project the other patches of land were purchased at a higher rate. The locals who sold the land at lesser price are not happy because they didn’t get the actual price. I though don’t go by this but the manner in which people are objecting. It was Congress that gave the initial permissions (for the project) and I, as an MLA in the Opposition (during the previous tenure) supported the project precisely because it was aimed at generating employment. I am not pushing the project but not opposing it also.
Herald: Allegations are that you are favouring the project because one of your family members is on the Board of Directors. Besides, activists say the project could damage the environment.
Parsekar: The people know me closely. Do you think my family or myself will be on this project when I am concentrating on an education hub? The allegations are baseless. The project has all the permissions and licenses. The golf course/resort will retain as well as create further greenery with the setting up of lawns, cottages, water harvesting, etc. Moreover, our Investment Promotion Board policy has ensured that such projects do not destroy the environment but create job opportunities suitable to locals. If the project has all these requirements, the project should happen.
Herald: The situation with the marinas is no different to that of Tiracol. Here your own MLAs are against this project. What is your comment?
Parsekar: When there was a blanket ban on mining operations, the government under Manohar Parrikar decided to resort to other ways to earn revenue for the State. We therefore came up with the Investment Policy and subsequently notified the Investment Promotion Board to bring in investments that would generate employment for locals and are harmless to the environment. If projects fulfill these conditions, we decided to accept them through a single window system. This is when the two projects (one being marinas) came up. The government has given ‘in principle’ permission subject to environmental clearances and CRZ clearance because our board does not have experts related to the two fields. I once again say, we are not pushing the project, nor supporting it in any way.
Herald: Is the BJP-MGP relationship souring? Will BJP contest the 2017 general assembly elections jointly with MGP?
Parsekar: We will complete the current term with MGP but nobody knows what will happen in the next two years (remaining till the 2017 polls). I personally have no complaints or grievances against the regional ally.
