Cabinet reshuffle soon to include Congress defectors says CM Sawant
Panjim (Goa): While wildfires continue to ravage many areas of Goa in this ongoing summer, the administrative office areas of bureaucracy are not being spared. The Mamlatdar’s office in Canacona, South Goa is a case in instance.
Firefighters carried out 40-minute water spraying on the fire that engulfed the “Mutation” section of the Mamlatdar’s office. However, official files containing numerous land and other documents, besides fans, tables, electrical fixtures and office equipment were gutted in the blaze, according to a local daily.
While electrical short-circuit is being suspected to be the cause of the fire, the fire department, electricity department and police are conducting their own investigations.
A huge crowd that had gathered around the fire site expressed dismay at the loss of their precious and irretrievable – land title ownership and other — documents in the blaze.
Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant recently stated that there would be a Cabinet reshuffle – before the Karnataka Assembly elections – to induct some of the eight Congress MLAs who had defected to the BJP in Goa.
“Pooh poohing” criticism over his role in the River Mhadei issue, he declared that +he is the first Chief Minister to challenge Karnataka’s attempts in the Supreme Court. “I reiterate that my Government will not allow diversion of the Mhadei water at any cost,” he said while adding “The establishment of the Mhadei Pravah (Mhadei Water Authority) is 50% victory for Goa.”
Appreciating the signing of the Tillari Irrigation Project between Goa and Maharashtra governments, Sawant said he wanted to “streamline” it so that its irrigation water is provided to both left and right riverbanks’ canals in the State.
The Goa Government has spent Rs 3.22 crore on a “Save Soil” event that highlighted public interaction with a spiritual leader Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev on August 23, 2022 at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao, Goa, according to RTI information provided to lawyer/activist Aires Rodrigues by the Directorate of Information & Publicity.
The event, which was organized by the Goa Department of Agriculture, included expenditure on advertisements, printing invitations, seating for VVIPs and VIPs, snacks and “high tea,” venue branding, cultural show and green rooms for the artistes.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands has offered to support the “Startups” industry in Goa, following a meeting with the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) recently.
Querying about the IT and Startups scenario in Goa, Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands Thierry Van Helden said his Government is interested in providing technical expertise and innovation in waste management, climate change etc.
GCCI President Ralph de Souza highlighted the GCCI’s business activities and noted that it will be signing an MOU with HAS University of Netherlands for promotion of agriculture in both countries.
Meanwhile, in a strange incident, a water supply tanker – which carries fresh water to areas of Goa was caught by village Sancoale residents while it was discharging “sewage” at a site.
On receiving this complaint, Goa Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration said that the sewage tanker was not a government tanker, but assured of carrying out a robust inspection and sampling drive on commercial eateries to assess their water quality.
