To Goanet -
******* Press Release Sunday, June 8, 2008 In a press statement issued today, Matanhy Saldanha strongly condemned the builder and contractor of two construction projects in Porvorim for the cause of death of innocent labourers. They have been victims of the callousness of the Labour Dept of the Goa government who has not enforced the provisions for providing safe shelter to contract labour. Mr. Saldanha deeply regrets the loss of innocent lives. Mr. Saldanha demands an investigation into the cause that lead to the collapse of the compound wall, whether there were necessary permissions to erect such a wall that exceeds the permissible height. Furthermore, Mr. Saldanha questions how the builder in the compounded area was allowed to erect structures more than ground plus two floors since it comes within the jurisdiction of the Village Panchayat. Mr. Saldanha demands a probe into all the building activities of the contractor whose labourers were crushed to death. Mr. Saldanha said the government should immediately investigate the contractor and builder of the two projects in the area to bring the guilty to book, failure of which will expose the government’s complicity in allowing illegalities. He added that this is not an isolated case and that such irregularities are widespread in Goa at all construction sites. He added that to avoid such tragedies, the Labour Dept should undertake an immediate inspection of construction sites throughout Goa. A photograph of the collapsed wall site is attached. Matanhy Saldanha Ex-MLA and Former Tourism Minister ********
