MARGAO
Sao Jose de Areal villagers on Tuesday demanded that the authorities concerned should revoke all the NOCs, licenses and permissions issued for the development of plots and to continue the land acquisition process for construction of multipurpose sports and cultural activities centre and indoor and outdoor stadium and academy in the interest of the State.
The villagers have also cautioned prospective purchasers not to purchase any plot as it may land them in a trap, as there is a serious controversy over the project since it is being carried out allegedly in an unlawful manner and against people’s interests and wishes.
Addressing the media, President of Sao Jose de Areal Villagers Union, Freddy Travasso, stated that Areal village is already devastated by massive illegal basalt mines and numerous crushers on the Comunidade lands, industrial estates on tribal and other lands, scrapyards, Konkan Railway and South Western Railway lines and illegal sub-division of lands on a massive scale.
“Every time the people of the village have to come out on the streets and also knock on the doors of the departments concerned to save their village from such disasters in the making. The major destruction that the village is suffering is mostly because the TCP Department and the Panchayat have failed in fulfilling their duties in the interest of the village”, he said.
Freddy said another disaster has now threatened the life of the entire village as the TCP has granted technical clearances and provisional NOC for the development of 83 plots and 3 commercial centres inspite of knowing the fact that the land is already having government approval for the construction of multipurpose sports and cultural activities centre and indoor and outdoor stadium and academy for entire Goa.
He has demanded to know how come the TCP has granted technical clearance for the construction of a compound wall and a provisional NOC for development of 83 plots, commercial centres when the proposal for acquisition of the land in question has been made since 2005.
He pointed out that the gram sabha members had demanded that all the NOCs, licenses and permissions granted should be revoked but to date the panchayat has failed to do so and the work is still going on the land in question.
