Panaji – With River Navigation Minister Subhash Phaldesai admitting that the “Solar Ferry Boat” procured by the BJP Government spending almost 4 crores is “Unviable”, it is loud & clear that that all the Projects initiated by the BJP Government are for “Mission Total Commission”. It is now the responsibility of the then River Navigation Minister Ramkrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar and present Minister Subhash Phalsdesai to refund the Commission amount to the State Treasury, demanded Congress Media Cell Chairman Amarnath Panjikar.
Addressing a Press Conference at Congress House along with North Goa District Congress President Virendra Shirodkar & John Nazareth, Santacruz Block President, Amarnath Panjikar revealed that the BJP Government went ahead with the purchase of the Solar Ferry Boat despite Captain of Ports clearly stating that the “Solar Ferries are Uneconomical”.
It may be noted that then River Navigation Minister Sudin Dhavalikar himself had led a Delegation to Kerala to inspect and study the feasibility of Solar Ferry Boats in November 2017. The Report prepared by the team suggested that the Suitability of Solar Ferry Boat for Goan Waters having Higher Current & Turbulence need to be studied by the Experts, claimed Amarnath Panjikar.
The said Report had also stated that “Assistance, Help & Guidance of other Departments and Agencies related to Solar Energy, Electrical Engineering also need to be obtained before finalizing the Technical Specifications of the Solar Ferry Boat”, pointed Amarnath Panjikar.
We demand that the present River Navigation Minister Subhash Phaldesai during whose tenure the said Solar Ferry boat was inaugurated by the Union Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonwal in October 2022 with much Fanfare spending Public Money on Event Management of the said Function should now place in Public Domain all the Reports which were suggested in the Inspection Report, stated Amarnath Panjikar.
The Inspection Report had also stated that “Jetties with Charging Facilities is required for embarking & dis-embarking of Passengers at Ferry points”. The Report had also highlighted the Challenges for Solar Ferry Boats like Narrow Navigation Channels, More Water Current as compared to Kerala Waters, Longer Voyage Time and High Initial Cost. Unfortunately Government ignored everything, said Amarnath Panjikar.
It was just a Note moved on 12th September 2017 by Prasanna Karthik, then OSD to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar which moved the Proposal for purchase of Solar Ferry Boat in Goa. Government went ahead with the Proposal despite then Captain of Ports warning on Non-viability of the Solar Ferry Boat, charged Congress Media Cell Chairman Amarnath Panjikar.
All the Projects launched by the BJP Government in last eleven years have either died premature death or never seen the light of the day. Few Projects which stand completed have either taken lives of the people or guzzled crores from the State Treasury, Amarnath Panjikar said.