Got nothing against Lobo, he is welcome over anytime, says Vijai
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO: From attempts to resolve the waste imbroglio over 'tea' over a decade and half ago to now discussing it over a 'drink', Sonsodo seems to have come full circle.
But, the million dollar question that is uppermost in the minds of Madgavkars and Fatordekars is this – will the sudden thaw in relations between Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo and Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai help resolve the issue?
That the Waste Management Minister has reciprocated Vijai’s open invitation for discussions to resolve the Sonsodo mess has been welcomed by the Fatorda MLA, who went to the extent of saying that he would not be a stumbling block to any attempts to resolve the issue.
At the same time, Vijai made it clear that there ought not to be any impediments from the ruling party to Lobo’s efforts to work out a solution to the issue.
“If Michael has accepted my invitation for discussion over the drink, I would be glad to play host to him if that helps resolve the issue once and for all. Let us discuss the Sonsodo issue threadbare and work out a solution,” Vijai said, while saying that he would support any initiative to resolve the issue.
Given that the Waste Management Minister has accepted his invitation for discussion on the issue, the Fatorda MLA has hoped that the government would call a meeting of the High Powered Coordination Committee (HPCC) headed by the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the earliest.
Incidentally, Goa Foundation convenor Claude Alvares had once hosted a tea party atop Sonsodo when the NGO was roped in to tackle the burning waste issue facing Margao and Fatorda over a decade ago.
The tea party was apparently hosted atop the waste dump as a symbolic gesture to remind the powers that Sonsodo’s waste as well as odour can be tackled effectively if the issue is addressed with the seriousness it deserved.
It is a sheer coincidence that after a near decade and half, the deadlock over Sonsodo is sought to be addressed over a drink with the Fatorda MLA inviting the Waste Management Minister to his residence for a drink to address the issue.
At the Dussehra celebrations hosted by the Goa Forward Chief at his residence on Monday night, Vijai had told his supporters that he had nothing against the Waste Management Minister, going to the extent of saying that Michael had been a visitor to his residence for a drink during the good old days and that he was ready to host him again over a drink if that helps resolve the Sonsodo imbroglio.
