MARGAO: South Goa District Youth President Mahesh Nadar on Tuesday condemned the state government for proposing to hike the fees for using ferry services accusing the government of trying to burden the common man for no fault of his.
Also present was South Goa Youth Congress District Member, Shakib Shaikh.
Addressing a press conference Nadar, said that the state government should not have even thought about the ferry hike.
“The hike for four wheelers from Rs 10 to 40 and the proposal to charge two wheelers will be an additional burden for people for whom the ferry is the only means of coming to work, visiting the hospital and doctors and other things that they need. Imagine having to pay that kind of money daily two times a day simply for having to go to work when leaving the residents of the island at a huge disadvantage compared to other villagers,” Nadar said.
“The situation is especially precarious for the people of the islands of Divar and Vanxim who are totally reliant on the ferry service. It is not as if the vehicle owners of the village are not paying road tax like every other vehicle owner in the state,” Nadar said.
Nadar also pointed out how despite repeated pleas by the residents of Margao and Fatorda to do the roads around the city that were in a bad shape, those pleas were ignored but when the state needed to host VVIPs for the national games opening ceremony the roads were promptly done up.
“It shows that when the government wants to do something it can do, but rest of the time it is not bothered no matter how much the people cry or protest against the poor conditions they are subjected to,” Nadar said.
He said that the Youth Congress would protest against the hike in ferry services and would not relent until the hike is rolled back.