NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor, Surendra Furtado said that “it was nobody’s fault, and nobody is to be blamed. It was just an accident.”
The CCP Mayor was commenting on the incident reported on Sunday evening wherein he and 6 others including owner of a local TV channel Anil Laad and a Marathi daily reporter Krantiraj Samrath had a narrow escape after an amphibian vehicle, mounted with a de-weeding machine, turned turtle.
The journalists were invited for a demonstration of the vehicle by Furtado. While the demo was in progress, the machine suddenly turned turtle resulting in the seven persons including the mayor and journalists, who were on it, tumbling into the nullah. The mayor was rescued unhurt from the nullah.
Speaking to this daily, Furtado said, “As Mayor I went personally to supervise and see the work in progress as the corporate houses have funded the cleaning and de-weeding of the nullah.”
He said that “there was no compulsion on me to inspect the de-weeding work, but it is my responsibility to see how the work is progressing and so boarded the amphibian de-weeding machine.”
“I had planned to send only journalists, photographers and video cameramen but I also boarded it to see how the work is going on, and the things proceeded smoothly. The incident happened only at the fag end of the round, just before we were to alight the vehicle,” he added.
The machine operator was wanting to show us how de-weeding was being done, the Mayor said adding while the machine was being moved, it tilted slightly and we all slipped, but the Almighty creator saved us. “We had started from Thomas Garage, and covered quite a distance and came back but while shifting a bucket the vehicle tilted and we had a fall,” he said and added, “As Mayor, I have every right to inspect the work going on or in progress.”
The cleaning of the nullah has been taken up after 20 years, he said and questioned, “Why a hue and cry is raised unnecessarily about the good work being done by the corporation?” and added that there is no appreciation, and due to that he and the corporation are deeply hurt.
“I am ready to sacrifice my life for Panaji as the city is very close to my heart, and if I die while doing work for the city I will be considered as martyred,” he added.
The amphibian machine has been taken way for maintenance .