Margao, July 12: Youth leader Prabhav Naik has blamed Margao MLA and PWD Minister Digambar Kamat for the fire incident in Margao, alleging that the failure to provide functional fire safety infrastructure reflects the government’s inability to fulfil repeated promises made over the past two years.

Addressing the media, Naik said that Madganvcho Awaaz had repeatedly highlighted the issue of non-functional fire hydrants and the delay in establishing a dedicated water tank for the Margao commercial area. He claimed that the latest fire incident has vindicated concerns raised by the organisation on April 20, 2025, and again on April 4, 2026.

Naik recalled that after a fire broke out at Prime New Market on December 26, 2023, Digambar Kamat had announced plans to construct a dedicated water tank and install a fire hydrant network to strengthen fire safety. Similar assurances, he said, were reiterated following the Gandhi Market fire on April 19, 2025.

“More than two years have passed since those promises were made, yet the dedicated water tank has not been constructed and the fire hydrant network remains non-functional,” Naik alleged, adding that Sunday’s fire incident exposed the government’s failure to implement critical safety measures.

He further said that after another fire at the New Market on April 4, 2026, Madganvcho Awaaz had questioned the manner in which fire hydrant pipelines were being laid and warned that incomplete fire safety infrastructure could prove disastrous during emergencies.

Naik demanded an explanation from the authorities on why the fire hydrants failed to function during the latest emergency and sought accountability from officials and agencies responsible for the delay in commissioning the fire safety network.

He also urged the government to immediately complete the long-pending fire safety infrastructure, including the dedicated water tank and hydrant system, to ensure the safety of lives, property and businesses in Margao.