MAPUSA
After facing stiff resistance from local residents against construction of villas near a natural spring, the Assagao panchayat on Tuesday has issued a show cause notice to the builder/owner to stop work.
The villagers had opposed the construction of a civil project next to the Audumber Dattatreya temple in Assagao thereby destroying the natural freshwater spring connected to the temple.
Recently, the local panchayat along with officials of the Town and Country Planning department had conducted a joint inspection of the project based on the complaint filed by the temple committee.
The locals had criticised the elected members of the panchayat for granting permission to ill-thought projects in the village.
On Tuesday, the angry villagers along with members of the temple committee took a morcha before the Assagao village panchayat demanding resignation of the sarpanch for failing to take action against the project.
A local informed that the project was coming up in violation of the bio-diversity norms but the panchayat has failed to take action despite frequent appeals from the villagers.
According to the temple committee president, Chandan Mandrekar the village sarpanch was not concerned about the villagers.
“The sarpanch had assured us to withdraw the permission granted to the project. But if he fails to do so we will approach the court in the matter,” Mandrekar said.
By Tuesday noon, the panchayat called for a special meeting and issued a show cause cum stop work notice to the builders/owners of the project.
According to the panchayat the construction of 11 villas, swimming pool and a compound wall was carried out in survey no 171/10 which was near existing age-old heritage spring without showing the same on the site plan.
“It appears the old heritage spring was not shown on the site plan while obtaining the construction license from the panchayat. The said water of the spring is used for sacred bath of God Dattatraya idol, taking bath of ‘dhon’, immersion of Ganesh idol, drinking water and other sacred work,” said Hanumant Naik Sarpanch of Assagao in the notice.
The panchayat has directed the builder/owner to stop the construction activity and immediately show cause why the said construction license should not be revoked.
