Parrikar salutes Army for Uttarakhand rescue
PTI, PANAJI | 24 June 2013 19:54 IST
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today lauded the efforts of the Indian army in rescuing people who were stranded in flood-hit Uttarakhand.
"I take this opportunity to salute the Indian Army for their efforts. Their presence in our states is all the more relevant and important now," Parrikar said in his message posted on his official Facebook page today.
Parrikar's statement assumes significance in the wake of his government facing a demand to ask Indian Navy to move from Dabolim airport and hand over the entire facility for civilians.
The government's decision to construct another airport at Mopa in North Goa has been questioned by a section of people, who have suggested that instead of new airport, the Indian Navy should move out of the facility where they have the INS Hansa base. The Chief Minister also termed Uttarakhand tragedy as "heart wrenching."
"Reading about the Uttarakhand tragedy is heart wrenching.A devastation of this magnitude will continue to haunt us for a long period of time," Parrikar said.
"We must take this as a lesson to focus on environment protection and disaster management," he added.
Goa government has already announced Rs five crore in aid and also proposed to adopt two villages in Uttarakhand.
"The details about the adoption of villages will be released soon and we shall seek your wholehearted support towards the cause," Parrikar wrote on Facebook.
