Rupesh Samant

Porvorim, Jul 22: Goa Forward Party chief and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai expressed his opposition to the nationalization of waterways while participating in the Calling Attention motion moved in the House on flooding.

Sardesai was responding after MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar claimed that the nationalization of waterways was the solution to avoid flooding in the state.

“The issue which was brought, is about nationalization of rivers. We were the first ones to oppose nationalization of rivers. We had said that they will turn our rivers into coal and ore highways,” he said.

Sardesai said that the toll free number for disaster management ‘177’ is not known to almost anyone, including MLAs. “The record says three calls were made to this number from south Goa.”

The GFP chief said that flooding was due to development without vision.

“We have been building various roads and bridges and bringing in infrastructure. We have not studied their fallout on flooding and what preventive measures can be taken.

“If smart Panaji can be flooded what will happen to non-smart villages?

"Nationalisation of waterways will not be allowed to have backdoor entry in the guise of controlling the flooding."