Margao, November 3: Youth leader and Madganvcho Awaaz representative Prabhav Naik has strongly criticised the abrupt cancellation of a joint site inspection scheduled for Tuesday to investigate the long-standing sewage menace at Comba, Margao, alleging that political insecurity is being allowed to override public health concerns.

 

Naik questioned the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of the inspection, which was scheduled for November 3 at 11 a.m. following his complaint to Health and Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane.

According to Naik, the Urban Health Centre, Margao, issued the inspection notice on October 30, 2026, but communicated it to him through email only on November 2. Within a few hours, another email informed him that the inspection had been cancelled, without announcing a fresh date.

Terming the development suspicious, Naik questioned why an inspection concerning sewage contamination, affected wells and public health had been cancelled at such short notice.

He recalled Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s assurance that politics would not be allowed to interfere in matters concerning public health and essential infrastructure.

Taking a political dig, Naik alleged that the “Bad Man of Margao” was feeling the heat and making desperate attempts to protect his political interests. He claimed that political insecurity and one-upmanship should not be allowed to obstruct efforts to resolve serious civic problems.

Naik asserted that Madganvcho Awaaz would neither be intimidated nor silenced by attempts to derail the campaign. He maintained that the initiative was driven by the genuine concerns of Comba residents, particularly the need to protect their wells from sewage contamination and ensure a permanent solution to the problem.

Appealing to Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to intervene personally, Naik demanded that the joint inspection be rescheduled immediately and that the authorities initiate concrete corrective measures.

“Public health cannot become a casualty of political insecurity. Madganvcho Awaaz will continue its fight until the residents of Comba receive justice and a permanent solution to the sewage menace,” Naik asserted.