the goan I network
Old Goa
The Santa Cruz panchayat authorities were exposed at the public meeting held to make the people aware of the dubious role played by the authorities, over the years, in granting various permissions at Bondvoll lake where the villagers are involved in a legal battle to save the lake from complete destruction.
The meeting was organised against the backdrop of the election of Disha Kavlekar as Santa Cruz sarpanch. Kavlekar is related to the tenant who is claiming ownership of a large area of Bondvoll lake and the issue is currently in the court.
The villagers fear that with Kavlekar at the helm of panchayat affairs, the fight of villagers to save the lake would be compromised. Several speakers lambasted the panchas and the local politicians who have extended their support to make Kavlekar as the sarpanch despite her stand at the gram sabha that she would support her family and not the villagers when it comes to Bondvoll issue.
Earlier, with the help of documents procured under RTI, Arturo D’Souza highlighted how a certain party was granted favours by the panchayat starting from the year 2013 when the current MLA was the sarpanch.
“The panchayat authorities have granted house numbers, permission for repair of house, NOC for power connection without produce of any documents,” D’Souza informed the villagers with documentary evidence, on a projector.
D’Souza highlighted how the agitation to save the Bondvoll lake was started in 2016 and the villagers have got some relief legally. “But today more dangers are lurking for future of Bondvoll lake,” he informed while adding that in 1908, this lake was declared as public utility project. “So how come one family claim ownership of the same,” questioned D’Souza.
A Calapur comunidade gaunkar Peter Gonsalves questioned how the panchayat bypassed the comunidade which is the owner of the lake. Gonsalves then lambasted the five panchas who have supported Kavlekar and elated her to the post of sarpanch, which he said is detrimental to the fight of villagers in saving Bondvoll lake.
Fr Michael Fernandes also lambasted the five panchas as well as the local MLA for extending their support to Kavlekar and making her sarpanch. Fr Fernandes also praised Santa Cruz parish priest Fr Alexander Pereira for taking the fight to save Bondvoll lake forward.
Elsa Dias made presentation of Bondvoll lake and highlighted that it is an ecosystem which helps sustain various forms of life and helps is keeping the village healthy. Dias also hit out at the politicians for keeping areas around Bondvoll lake in PDA for their selfish gains and to help the cause of the buiiders.
