Venita Gomes
This year's monsoon session of the Goa Assembly happens to be one of the longest in two years. It began on July 18, 2023 and will continue till August 10, 2023.
Kala Academy, the National Games, Smart City, etc. were some of the hot topics that have seen tempers fly at the ongoing monsoon session.
There was a ruckus in the Assembly over the recent Kala Academy slab collapse. Members of the opposition, including Vijai Sardesai, Yuri Alemao and Carlos Ferreira raised placards and demanded immediate discussion on the matter.
Aldona MLA, Carlos Alvares Ferreira, raised questions regarding the National Games, pointing out to the fact that crores of rupees are being unnecessarily spent on 'consultants' for the games, and this needed to be avoided.
Similarly, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai raised concerns over a potential scam in the name of National Games. He stated that the repairs of the Peddem track (in Mapusa) had touched ₹ 7.82 crore, which was actually higher than the cost of constructing it, and the track isn't even a venue of the games.
Vijai Sardesai also stated that the mascot of the National Games, 'MOGA' had cost the state ₹ 5.59 crore, which was paid to 'Moving Picture'. He added that the 'Rubigula' mascot of the previous edition of the National Games had cost just a few lakhs.
Goa's Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, told the Assembly that in terms of cost, 33 per cent of the work of the Smart City was complete, and had cost ₹ 335.4 crore. When the opposition pointed to the faulty cables and wires being installed, the CM replied that show-cause notices had been issued in this matter.
When Yuri Alemao observed that no mention was being made about the flooding of roads, overflowing drains and sewage, road cave-ins, etc., in connection with the Smart City, the Chief Minister replied that some flooding in Panjim was occurring 'due to high tide'.