PEOPLE SHOULD NOT OPPOSE DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT, SAYS FORMER ENVIRONMENT MINISTER RAJENDRA ARLEKAR
VASCO: Former Environment Minister and senior BJP leader Rajendra Arlekar on Sunday said that people must not oppose developmental projects in the state and that it was wrong to oppose any and every project in the state.
Arlekar was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised by the Goa Ayurvedic Medical Association (GAMA) at Ravindra Bhavan, Baina.
” All these linear projects of double tracking of railways ,expansion of National highway and transmission of power lines through Western Ghats are not the projects of the recent times and a lot of discussion has happened on these projects for a very long time and many years with plans of implementing them by different successive governments. These are developmental projects and I am wondering if some people are habitual of working against developmental projects. These same type of people who had opposed Konkan Railway project years ago are involved in opposing every developmental project taken up. I feel that there is an anti-development lobby behind these protests,” said Arlekar.
Arlekar said that when the government was willing to answer all queries and resolve all issues, there was no reason for blind protests against ongoing projects.
” Not as a former environment minister but even as a normal citizen, I feel that there has to be developmental projects taken up in the state and there should be no opposition to development and it has to be found out if the people opposing it are having full knowledge about the projects. Just because some lobby is opposing, people must simply not follow and oppose anything and everything without a reason and even the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has also answered questions and addressed the issue in details and people must understand the side of the government and see how the best things can be done without much harm,” Arlekar said.
Reacting to Cortalim BJP MLA Alina Saldanha opposing these projects, Arlekar informed that BJP leaders and the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant have already begun the process of explaining her about the project details and its benefits.
Arlekar said that he was confident that the newly appointed BJP Goa desk in-charge C T Ravi would help to strengthen the pafrty organisation in Goa further.
” There will be no conflict in the two States of Goa and Karnataka on Mhadei river issue just because the newly appointed party’s Goa in-charge C T Ravi is a MLA from Karnataka. Any issue has to be sorted out by two governments because the opinion of Goans may differ from the people of Karnataka.
According to Arlekar, Ravi is appointed by the BJP party to take up works, guide us and address issues of the BJP Goa. Ravi will surely help us at party level and strengthen the BJP in Goa. Any other ongoing issues between States can be discussed and sorted out at government levels,” he said.