Latest news with #AmitPatkar
India.com
a day ago
- Politics
- India.com
Congress slams Goa government, alleges Rs 72000000000 annual loss from..., blames BJP of...
This is India's richest liquor company, produces cheapest alcohol like…, company name is… New Delhi: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee has launched a scathing attack against the state government for permitting open smuggling of liquor. The party has alleged that the smuggling is causing an estimated loss of Rs 7,200 crore per annum. State Congress president Amit Patkar alleged that at least ten trucks carrying liquor worth Rs 2 crore each cross the Patradevi border every day to reach states such as Gujarat, where alcohol is banned. Patkar highlighted a recent incident where a truck transporting liquor caught fire in Dhargalim and questioned the inaction of the authorities. 'The truck is registered with the transport department, but the police and excise people say they can't identify its owner. How is this possible?' he asked. Patkar also condemned the excise department for not having mechanisms to trace or intercept illegally made and packaged liquor exiting Goa. Blaming the Pramod Sawant government's inaction, Patkar said 36 hours after the Dhargalim incident, both the excise department and the police had done nothing, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was quiet. 'We demand that the CM clarify the state to tell us where this liquor came from and where it went. This is a big national threat. By tomorrow, they have to come out with this, and if they don't, then we will gherao the commissioner of excise.' Congress criticised local authorities for turning a blind eye to liquor being smuggled out of Goa.
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Goa Congress Alleges Rs 7,200 Crore Annual Loss From Illegal Liquor Smuggling
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee has blamed the state government for permitting open smuggling of liquor, which is causing an estimated loss of Rs 7,200 crore per annum. State Congress president Amit Patkar alleged that at least ten trucks carrying liquor worth Rs 2 crore each cross the Patradevi border every day to reach states such as Gujarat, where alcohol is banned. Patkar pointed out a recent case in which a truck carrying liquor caught fire at Dhargalim, questioning why authorities did not act. "The truck is registered with the transport department, but the police and excise people say they can't identify its owner. How is this possible?" he asked, condemning the excise department for not having mechanisms to trace or intercept illegally made and packaged liquor exiting Goa. Blaming the state government's reaction, Patkar said 36 hours after the Dhargalim incident, both the excise department and the police had done nothing, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was quiet. "This is a national threat," he said, asking Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to explain the source and destination of the smuggled liquor by Thursday. Patkar threatened that unless answers were provided, Congress would protest outside the office of the Excise Commissioner. The charges have raised questions about sloppy enforcement and possible complicity, with Congress urging immediate action to stem the illegal trade.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Rs 7,000 crore per year loss as booze smuggled: Cong
Panaji: Congress on Wednesday claimed that every day, ten trucks with liquor worth Rs 2 crore cross the Patradevi border with illegally manufactured liquor destined for states such as Gujarat. 'If you do the math, Rs 7,200 crore worth of alcohol is smuggled out of the state annually , but if you ask the excise officers and police, they claim that nobody came to claim the truck (that caught fire at Dhargalim on Tuesday). It is registered with the transport department, so why can't they find its owner?' said state Congress president Amit Patkar. Congress criticised local authorities for turning a blind eye to liquor being smuggled out of Goa. Patkar said the excise department has no mechanism to track and intercept trucks carrying illegally manufactured and bottled alcohol out of the state. 'It was 36 hours, and yet the police department did not find anyone, the excise department was not taking any action, and the ED was also not doing anything,' said Patkar. 'We demand that the CM clarify the state to tell us where this liquor came from and where it went. This is a big national threat. By tomorrow, they have to come out with this, and if they don't, then we will gherao the commissioner of excise.'
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress issues ultimatum over safety audit after cruise vessel fire
Panaji: Congress gave a 15-day ultimatum to the Captain of Ports (CoP) to conduct a safety audit of all the vessels licenced to operate in the state's waters. Citing the early morning fire aboard a drifting cruise boat, state Congress president Amit Patkar claimed that the CoP department is inviting a man-made disaster by shirking safety norms. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Patkar said that firefighting equipment remains absent on vessels that are currently operating in Goa's waterways, including on the river navigation department's ferries. 'We are giving the CoP and the shipping ministry 15 days to conduct a safety audit and structural audit for all the vessels that have got licences and put it in the public domain. Vessels that are not under IRS classification are actually supposed to be scrapped,' said Patkar. He said that if the audit report is not released within 15 days, Congress would hold a protest outside the department office and 'force out the information'. Congress has criticised the department's handling of the fire aboard the cruise vessel as well as an earlier fire onboard a ferry boat. 'The CoP tug should have a 30m range for the firefighting mechanism. But that tug could not fight a fire even on its own deck. This fire was a serious incident. Tomorrow, if another boat catches fire, how will they fight it in the middle of the river? Will they rely on firefighters on land to put out the fire?' said Patkar. He said that the vessels that do not meet the Indian registrar of shipping classification or any other international classification should be seized and scrapped.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Goa is not lab for BJP's experiments, says Cong on Centre's suggestion about nuclear plant
Opposition parties have objected to the Centre's suggestion to set up a nuclear power plant in Goa, with Congress saying the coastal State is not "a laboratory for BJP's dangerous experiments". Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday (May 12, 2025) said that the Central Government has suggested that the States examine the feasibility of setting up nuclear power plants in their respective areas and send proposals. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Khattar said he had discussed the possibility of setting up a nuclear power plant in a review meeting of the Urban Development and Power sector in Goa. Goa is not a laboratory for @BJP4India 's dangerous experiments. I strongly condemn Shri @mlkhattar's absurd proposal of setting up a nuclear power plant in our peaceful, eco-sensitive state of Goa. The @BJP4Goa has already destroyed Goa's hills, forests, Agriculture & rivers —… — Amit Patkar (@amitspatkar) May 12, 2025 In a post on X, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar said, "Goa is not a laboratory for @BJP4India's dangerous experiments. I strongly condemn Shri @mlkhattar's absurd proposal of setting up a nuclear power plant in our peaceful, eco-sensitive state of Goa." He alleged that the BJP government had already destroyed Goa's hills, forests, agriculture and rivers, and it now wants to put people's lives at risk with a nuclear hazard. "We will resist this anti-Goa agenda with full force. Our land, livelihoods & environment are non-negotiable," Mr. Patkar wrote. The Aam Aadmi Party's state unit president, Amit Palekar, questioned the need for a nuclear plant in Goa when Kaiga in Karwar (Karnataka) has a facility. The Centre and State government are out to destroy Goa, he said. "@AAPGoa will fight tooth and nail if any such misadventure is attempted. Lakhs of square meters of Goan lands have been given to private universities etc., all with the interest of BJP functionaries, and now whatever is left of Goa is sought to be destroyed with such projects. Who has interest in this?" he wrote.
