Goa Congress questions structural stability of Fatorda Stadium, accuses BJP of corruption

The Goa Congress on Thursday raised questions about the "structural stability" of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda and accused the BJP government of corruption in its refurbishment and repair work.

"The conspicuous silence of the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant about the 61 crore scam in the refurbishment and repair work of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, has now created apprehensions about the structural stability of the stadium," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President (GPCC) Girish Chodankar said in a statement.

The GPCC president demanded that the government conduct a structural audit of the entire stadium and place the report before the public ahead of the commencement of ISL -2019 football matches.

"The rampant corruption in the sports department with the blessings of Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar alias Babu Azgaonkar has led to substandard works by the contractors of various infrastructural projects carried out for the forthcoming national games," Chodankar said.

Last month, several tin sheets of the stadium roof had blown away due to gusty winds.

"The ISL tournament attracts almost 15 to 18 thousand spectators for the matches. Now, the lives of the football fans have come under a probable threat. There is fear and anxiety in the minds of the local players as well as public," he said.

Chodankar said that the government is responsible to protect the lives of the people and provide accountability about the expenditures incurred on various projects carried out using the tax payer's money.

He welcomed the government's decision to provide Rs 1 crore grant to Goa Football Association (GFA) but also accused it of "favouritism for political reasons" and demanded that similar help be provided to other associations that have brought laurels to the state by winning medals at the national and international levels.