MARGAO
Asserting that the government will not allow any development in No Development Zones and low-lying fields, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday made a fervent plea to the people not to fill up paddy fields to set up shops and scrapyards just to earn Rs 50,000 and destroy them for the next 100 years.
Reminding about the disaster that struck Wayanad in Kerala a year ago, destroying villages and killing hundreds of people within three hours, the Chief Minister assured that his government has taken the responsibility not to permit any development in the No Development Zones.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Multi-purpose Cyclone Centre by the Water Resources Department at Aquem-Margao under the centrally-funded scheme to set up 12 cyclone shelter homes in Goa at a cost of Rs 119 crore.
“We have seen how disaster has destroyed Wayanad within three hours, killing hundreds of people. My government has taken the responsibility not to allow development in no development zones. We have banned conversion, sale and construction of buildings in low-lying agricultural fields. But, conversion of fields is going on in a big way. Locals fill up fields and lease the same to outsiders to set up shops and scrap yards. People may earn Rs 50,000 from the illegal conversion, but a permanent damage will be caused to the paddy fields for the next 100 years”, Sawant said.
Saying his government will take the responsibility to ensure no development in low lying fields and in NDZ, Sawant said the people should support and cooperate with the government to protect the agricultural fields from conversions.
Saying the Cyclone shelter centres along the country’s coastal belt is a visionary step initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said Goa has also built 11 out of the 12 cyclone shelters in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 85 crore. “The Centre had allocated Rs 119 crore for Goa to set up these centres. We will soon inaugurate the early warning system. We will spend Rs 2.5 crore to provide training to various stakeholders involved in disaster management. These centres have been set up at the initiative of PM Narendra Modi as a precautionary measure”, he added.
The Chief Minister also handed over a letter to the Keshav Seva Sadhana to open a free 10-bedded dialysis centre on the ground floor of the multi-purpose cyclone shelter centre.
In his address, Water Resources Department Minister Subhash Shirodkar said Goa was allotted 12 cyclone centres under the centrally funded scheme. “This centre will help immediate shifting of marooned people in times of disasters, including cyclones and floods. The ground floor is being allotted the Keshav Seva Sadhana to up the dialysis centre for the benefit of patients.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat profusely thanked Chief Minister and WRD Minister for setting up the cyclone shelter in the heart of Margao city. He further thanked the Chief Minister for accepting a proposal to allow the ground floor for the dialysis centre run by the Keshav Seva Sadhana.
