MARGAO
Demarcation of the Curtorim Leprosy Hospital land on Thursday had to be abandoned midway after local residents objected to the work, sending a clear signal to the government that the people are opposed to the plans to set up the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) camp on the land.
While Curtorim Sarpanch Milagres Rodigues, Deputy Simon Barretto, panchayat member Winnie and others rushed to the spot upon being told of the ongoing demarcation work, local MLA Reginaldo Lourenco also joined the people in lodging their objection to the demarcation work.
Left with no option, the demarcation team left the site, even as the people are bracing up for a public meeting to stop the IRB camp from coming up on the Leprosy Hospital land.
While MLA Reginaldo had a day ago written to the Curtorim Sarpanch Milagres Rodrigues to call a meeting of the gram sabha to deliberate on the issue, former Curtorim Zilla Panchayat member Moreno Rebello said the people will meet soon to chalk out the future course of action, including a public meeting to oppose the IRB project.
Moreno pointed out that the IRB can come up on any land, including the SEZ land at Verna, and wondered why the government is bulldozing with the project on the Leprosy Hospital land when this land can be put to use for the benefit of the local populace.
“The IRB camp should come up at a central place and the government can utilise the SEZ or other acquired lands. The Leprosy Hospital land should be utilised in such a way that the project that comes up on the land benefits the people of Curtorim and adjoining areas,” Moreno said.
Locals have questioned the propriety of the Health Department in taking the decision to transfer the Leprosy Hospital land, admeasuring over a lakh square meter to the Police department without taking the people into confidence.
In fact, when the previous Curtorim panchayat had approached the Health Department to earmark a small piece of the hospital land to set up waste segregation, the proposal was rejected by the Health Department. “If the people of Curtorim cannot put to use the available land in the village to meet the requirements of the villagers, is the government expecting the villagers to scout for land in other villages,” Moreno wondered, while saying that Curtorkars will unitedly oppose the IRB project tooth and nail.
