Calangute: Congress workers in Calangute demanded that the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) expedite ongoing infrastructure works to prevent further accidents. The demand came during a protest after a 32-year-old man died when he fell onto exposed construction rods near Calangute market.The workers also sought compensation for the victim’s family. “The incident occurred at around midnight and till 1.30am he was lying there. People could not remove him because the iron rod was stuck in his body. The 108 ambulance came at 1.30am and first took him to Candolim PHC, then to Mapusa district hospital and then to GMC where he expired at 4.30am. He died because he did not get timely medical help,” they alleged.Congress’s Prasad Shirodkar blamed local MLA and GSIDC chairperson Michael Lobo for the tragedy. “The responsibility for the tragedy lies with the GSIDC chairperson,” he alleged.Former MLA Agnelo Fernandes also demanded action against Lobo. “When locals and activists were recently protesting against the haphazard and illegal work of underground electricity cabling in Candolim, the MLA called police and told them to take the activists to the police station and register FIRs against them. Now, because of his haphazard work in Calangute, one person has died. Why have police not registered an offence against him?” Fernandes said.Former Arpora-Nagoa sarpanch Roshan Redkar alleged that Lobo had been regularly visiting the site. “Why did the GSIDC chairperson not tell the contractor to take some safety measures? The chief minister needs to take action against him,” he said.
