Panaji: Stating that exposure by them has forced Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to come to the capital city review the ‘Smart City’ project, the Congress in Goa on Monday suggested the BJP’s central leader to have ‘Padyatra’ in Panaji to know about the substandard work done, and the corruption involved in the project.
Addressing a press conference, Congress Media Cell Development Chairman Amarnath Panjikar said that they are happy that their movement against corruption in Smart City work forced the Central government to send a minister to check it.
“We have come to know that Union Minister for Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri has come to take a review of Smart City projects, as we have exposed the scams and mismanagement of this work. I hope that he will not only sit in air-conditioned rooms and hold meetings, but will come out and have ‘Padyatra’ in Panaji city to have a real review,” Panjikar said.
“We are happy that he has come to take a review and will do something to lessen the sufferings of people. I hope he will have ‘Padyatra’ along with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, other ministers and officers concerned to know the problems faced due to smart city work. Only then will he come to know about corruption and sub-standard work done while carrying out work on the Smart City,” Panjikar said.
He said that the Panaji Smart City project has become Mission Total Commission, which was exposed by the Congress party.
“We have exposed the corruption involved in these works and further too we will expose it,” he said.
Congress leader Elvis Gomes said that there was no planning for smart city work and hence, people will suffer during the monsoon.
“One should make development by using taxpayers’ money. But here, nothing of such is seen. Contractors are not aware of what they have to do while carrying out these works. The Union Minister should visit homes and ask them how they are suffering due to sewerage work,” he said.
He demanded that an investigation should be done of this entire work.
(IANS)
