Margao – Failure of the Government to detect the exact cause of contamination of Well, Nullah and Fields with Petroleum Products once again exposed Disastrous Disaster Management Authority of Goa. Careless attitude of BJP Government has turned entire Mormugao Taluka into a Ticking Bomb, charged Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao.
It is more than a week now and the Government is completely blank on finding the cause of Contamination. Authorities are dependent on the culprit Zuari Indian Oil Tanking Private Limited (ZIOPTL) to detect the leakage. ZIOPTL must be heavily penalised for destruction of Ground Water, Fields and posing threat to Human Lives, demanded Yuri Alemao.
We have experienced in the past leakage of Harmful Gases, Blasts causing Death of Workers and many other Incidents in the Industries located in Mormugao Taluka. It is because of the Irresponsible and Insensitive Attitude of the Government that these Industries have not learnt lessons and continue to play with the lives of the people. Time has come to act hard against the Violators, stated Yuri Alemao.
I was provided with the information by the Government during the March Session of Goa Legislative Assembly that Goa Disaster Management Authority is relying on Goa Shipyard Ltd., Mormugao Port Authority, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guards and other Private Industries, most of which are located in Mormugao Taluka for assistance of Life Saving & Heavy equipments needed to handle Disasters, claimed Yuri Alemao.
As almost all of these Companies and Agencies are located within 5 Kms Radius of the Airport and surrounded by High-Risk Locations like Petroleum Storage Tanks in the heart of Vasco City as well as on the Hillock at Zuari Nagar, I had warned the Government that the entire Mormugao Taluka will become a Ticking Bomb, pushing the Government into a helpless situation if some Disaster occurs. The contamination of Well, Nullah and Fields with Petroleum products is a Warning Bell for the Government, stated Yuri Alemao.
I urge the Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant to immediately convene a meeting of all the Stakeholders and to resolve the Water Contamination issue faced by Residents of Dabolim. I also demand that Government must identify Strategic Locations across the State to make placements of Equipments and Resources as well as Manpower to handle Disaster Management in the State. Government must stop spending money on Events and utilise the Funds to procure latest Equipments in Disaster Management, demanded Yuri Alemao.
