PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday blamed the opposition for trying to mislead locals regarding the three major projects at Mollem in the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
Sawant, who two months earlier said that people living abroad were behind the protests, appeared to mock the ongoing Mollem Bachao campaign. “Has someone come to eat Mollem?” said Sawant at a function organised by EDC.
“This (Mollem Bachao campaign) is to create confusion in the minds of people. Some people have an agenda to mislead people. The way people are talking it looks like there is a fire at Mollem and we have to send a fire brigade,” the chief minister said.
Subtly pointing fingers at the opposition, Sawant said that clear attempts were being made to mislead and confuse people regarding the Mollem projects and diversion of water from the Mhadei basin.
On Tuesday, GFP president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that the state government is sleeping and had presented photographic evidence to suggest that Karnataka has diverted water.
“There are some who want to fool the people. See in the case of Mhadei also. Nobody is speaking about the facts and they don’t want the facts. On all issues people want to play politics and oppose,” Sawant said.
Sawant refused to make any additional comment on the Mhadei water dispute and declined to react to Karnataka’s stand that despite Goa’s contempt petition before the Supreme Court, the Karnataka government will continue with the Rs 500 crore Mhadei project.
“I have cleared the state government’s stand. There will be no compromise. We are strong,” he said.
Sawant said that the government is sensitive to people’s concerns, including environmental ones. “There are some people who simply say that the government does not listen. We listen to everyone and we address all the concerns, whether it is about EDC, IIT or the environment,” the chief minister said.
Earlier, EDC chairman and state BJP president Sadanand Tanavade blamed NGOs for opposing every development project in the state.
“In Goa there is a trend that when anything new is announced, quite a few new NGOs also pop up. Goa has plenty of NGOs which choose not to support projects for Goa’s development and progress, but are ready to object to them,” Tanavade said.
Sawant, who two months earlier said that people living abroad were behind the protests, appeared to mock the ongoing Mollem Bachao campaign. “Has someone come to eat Mollem?” said Sawant at a function organised by EDC.
“This (Mollem Bachao campaign) is to create confusion in the minds of people. Some people have an agenda to mislead people. The way people are talking it looks like there is a fire at Mollem and we have to send a fire brigade,” the chief minister said.
Subtly pointing fingers at the opposition, Sawant said that clear attempts were being made to mislead and confuse people regarding the Mollem projects and diversion of water from the Mhadei basin.
On Tuesday, GFP president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said that the state government is sleeping and had presented photographic evidence to suggest that Karnataka has diverted water.
“There are some who want to fool the people. See in the case of Mhadei also. Nobody is speaking about the facts and they don’t want the facts. On all issues people want to play politics and oppose,” Sawant said.
Sawant refused to make any additional comment on the Mhadei water dispute and declined to react to Karnataka’s stand that despite Goa’s contempt petition before the Supreme Court, the Karnataka government will continue with the Rs 500 crore Mhadei project.
“I have cleared the state government’s stand. There will be no compromise. We are strong,” he said.
Sawant said that the government is sensitive to people’s concerns, including environmental ones. “There are some people who simply say that the government does not listen. We listen to everyone and we address all the concerns, whether it is about EDC, IIT or the environment,” the chief minister said.
Earlier, EDC chairman and state BJP president Sadanand Tanavade blamed NGOs for opposing every development project in the state.
“In Goa there is a trend that when anything new is announced, quite a few new NGOs also pop up. Goa has plenty of NGOs which choose not to support projects for Goa’s development and progress, but are ready to object to them,” Tanavade said.
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