Dahanu, Feb 25: While on one hand senior Congress leader Sharad Pawar is publicly opposing the proposed 29-berth international port at Vadhavan, Dahanu, on the other Congress party workers in Dahanu have launched a signature campaign lobbying for the project to start work immediately.Sharad Pawar, in a campaign meeting held at Virar on Monday for candidate Ram Pandagle who is contesting from the Mumbai north constituency, had said he along with Pandagle and party workers will oppose the project.
However, in Dahanu, Congress councillors and party workers appear to be campaigning for former state minister and Congress candidate Shankar Nam who supports the project, which according to environmentalists here will spell disaster for the one-lakh-odd fisherfolk. The 29-berth port has already attracted severe criticism from the locals.
According to Danesh Irani, an environmentalist, Congress seems to be playing a double game as the local Congress party workers are working towards having a port here. They havebeen able to organise traders, builders and farmers - all with vested interests - to lobby for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navitation Company (P&O).
The support extended by local Congress workers will prove beneficial for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate advocate Chintaman Wanaga.
Local BJP workers feel the move will further tarnish the Congress' image and feel the forthcoming polls will be a win-win situation for their party.
According to Dinesh Marde, a BJP worker from Dhakti Dahanu and a representative of the fisherfolk in Dahanu, the Congress has already drawn flak from the locals by allowing a thermal power plant to be constructed here. ``However, the opposition to the plant faded later considering the fact that the concerned company was a ``swadeshi'' one. Marde, expressing his opposition to the Vadhavan port, said if the government wishes to develop the area, it should construct a fishing jetty which will be infrastructurally equipped.
Meanwhile, the one-lakh-odd fisherfolk inVadhavan and other village are questioning the candidates over their stand on the port issue. Earlier they had contemplated boycotting the polls.
Marde, however, said a meeting of the fisherfolk is likely to be held on Thursday at Palghar to decide on the future course of action.
Copyright(c)1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
