'Make me Minister for Garbage', desperate BJP MLA tells Goa CM
Panaji, Jun 21: Desperately angling for a ministerial berth, Deputy Speaker and BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Friday urged Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to appoint him as "Minister for Garbage" in order to resolve the coastal state's garbage disposal woes.
Speaking to reporters here, Lobo, who earlier this week was promised a "bigger role" in the government by Chief Minister Sawant, also said, that lack of proper disposal mechanism for the burgeoning garbage dumps poses a big challenge for the state which is known as a beach tourism destination.
"For the last 25 years, so many MLAs, ministers and Chief Ministers travelled the world in their efforts to resolve the garbage issue. But they did nothing when they came back. There should be a ministry of garbage now. There are many kinds of ministries, but no garbage ministry, perhaps because it smells bad. No one wants to be a Garbage Minister, but I am ready," Lobo said.
Lobo has in the past, openly complained about the BJP not offering him a Cabinet berth, despite playing a key role during the formation of the BJP-led coalition government in 2017, although the BJP was in a minority in the 40-member state Legislative Assembly.
Goa's inability to manage garbage especially in the coastal areas, which often sees heaps of filth lining its roads and fields, has also been an area of concern for tourism industry stakeholders who have pleaded with the state government to resolve the issue.
Over the last one week, the town of Margao in South Goa, is facing a severe garbage crisis after a fallout between a private company managing the garbage dump on the town's outskirts and the state government over dump management processes.
Lobo also said that the garbage ministry could be solely funded from the garbage cess collected by the government on various transactions.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
