Goa’s Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar suffers stroke, hospitalised

Goa Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar has been admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital in Mumbai after he suffered a stroke on Tuesday, a BJP official said in Panaji on June 5. "The minister, who was in Mumbai since Monday, has suffered a stroke and he has shifted to the Kokilaben hospital for treatment," the official said.

Earlier on Tuesday, some reports in local media said that Madkaikar had suffered a heart attack. Then Prudent Media quoted Goa health minister Vishwajeet Rane as saying that Madkaikar had suffered a brain stroke. Rane also reportedly said that Madkaikar underwent a successful surgery at the Mumbai hospital and currently remained in the Intensive Care Unit. Prudent also reported that Rane had told the news outlet that he would rush to Mumbai immediately after addressing a pre-scheduled media briefing. The medical superintendent of Goa Medical College was also reportedly being sent to Mumbai to coordinate efforts there, Prudent cited the health minister as saying.

Madkaikar under fire over power cuts and issuance of occupancy certificate to his bungalow

Madkaikar had been in the firing line over the last few weeks over massive power cuts across the state. On Sunday, ruling BJP and Congress leaders had protested, complaining that several areas in North Goa had suffered blackouts for hours after the power department shut off electricity allegedly to relocate high tension transmission lines from near a real estate plot to favour a builder.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had reportedly spoken to Madkaikar late on Monday, asking the minister to ensure that power failures should be curtailed to less than one hour.

Health Minister Rane on Tuesday also tweeted about the power problems, saying "Working on addressing the issue of frequent power failures... Will work towards fulfilling the promises we made and will resolve this issue on top priority. Will take the officials to task and provide relief for our people.”

Madkaikar has also been under fire for the rapid issuance of occupancy certificates for his palatial bungalow located next to the Basilica de Bom Jesus, a protected monument in Old Goa.

O Heraldo reported that “Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar’s palatial bungalow adjacent to the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a protected monument, was granted an occupancy certificate by Old Goa Panchayat within a week. This has been revealed in information furnished to Adv Aires Rodrigues under RTI”.

According to the newspaper, the plot of land on which the bungalow stands was purchased by Madkaikar’s Nikitasha Realtors Pvt Ltd in October 2004. Nikitasha Realtors was represented by its Managing Director, Madkaikar’s wife Janita. Astonishingly, reported O Heraldo, Nikitasha Realtors applied for the occupancy certificate for Madkaikar’s bungalow constructed on this plot on January 5, 2018. Within a week, on January 11, the Old Goa panchayat gave approval for the occupancy certificate. The Old Goa panchayat is headed by Madkaikar’s wife, Janita.

With IANS inputs