Pernem taluka is close to my heart: Khalap

Pernem taluka is close to my heart: Khalap
Pernem : Reaching out to the voters of Pernem taluka, INDIA bloc’s North Goa Lok Sabha candidate of the Congress Party Adv Ramakant Khalap highlighted his efforts to take up development in the taluka, terming it “close to his heart”.
He was speaking at a corner meeting held at Nana Shet Hall, Nagzor Pernem.
“Nagzor is close to my heart as one of my sisters is married here, another sister is married in Hasapur. I used to roam a lot in Pernem taluka, more than Mandrem of which I was an MLA. There was no road from Hasapur to Ibrampur. We have worked a lot in this taluka. The Pernem Taluka Vikas Parishad, which we had started, was instrumental in setting up a school in Varkhand. So many students have studied here. I recall we had agitated against the government’s plan to start bauxite mining at Mopa, Pernem,” he pointed out.
Khalap raised the issue of unemployment of locals at the Mopa airport and the Ayush hospital. “Outsiders have secured jobs at the Ayush hospital and Mopa Airport which is a gross injustice to the local deserving villagers and people who have lost their properties due to their projects,” he said.
Due to the spurt in highway accidents there is an urgent need for underpasses and overbridges at Ugvem and Dhargal respectively for the safety of locals.
Speaking at the meeting, coordinator for the North Goa Lok Sabha seat and Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira said, “The power resides with you, not with the MP. If you vote, you give the MP this power. Don’t think twice before voting for Congress on May 7. Even if you get offers, even if you get money, take it but vote for Khalap. It is your responsibility to get him elected. He will do good for Goa,” he said.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar, who was also present, said, “The incumbent MP had adopted Ibrampur to develop this village, but he has failed miserably. There is no development in this village, and he has given an excuse that there is no land available. But when you usurped land for the Mopa airport from the farmers, then how did you get land?”
Patkar said that several issues remain unresolved in Pernem taluka.
“The government had assured to start a taxi counter for locals at Mopa airport. Also, people have been demanding an underpass at Ugvem as well as a retaining wall on the river embankment. There is also a demand for an underpass at Tulaskarwadi and Dhargal, and enhancing the compensation amount for the land acquired for the road works,” he said.
The sand mining issue at Patradevi and Devsu is yet to be addressed, while the proposed sports city at Dhargal is yet to see the day of light, Patkar highlighted.