the goan I network
MARGAO
The gram sabha of the coastal village of Benaulim on Sunday vehemently opposed the draft CRZ notification saying the changes proposed in the notification, including reduction of the No development zone to 50 meters would spell doom for the environment and the traditional communities. The meeting chaired by Sarpanch Dielle Fernandez also opposed any attempt to bulldoze construction of the Western bypass by filling of the low lying wet lands and flood plains of River Sal.
The issue over the controversial The Beach hotel was raised by gram sabha member Cruz Fernandez. He demanded to know from the chair to produce the file concerning the hotel project. When the Sarpanch maintained that the file has gone missing, Cruz demanded to know whether the Panchayat has initiated any steps to reconstruct the file or lodged a police complaint against those responsible behind the file going missing.
Cruz warned that if the Sarpanch fails to lodge a police complaint immediately as assured at the gram sabha meeting, he would to knock the doors of the police as well as the court for justice. The gram sabha also deliberated at length on the construction of the proposed 12-bedded hospital at Mondear-Benaulim. One of the gram sabha member pointed out that the panchayat need to scout for alternate land as the hospital cannot come up in a land marked as open space, saying that open spaces are reserved to meet the recreational needs of the local residents.
The issue generated lively discussion amongst the gram sabha members, with some members also raising the issue over the presence of 108 Ambulance staff at the Panchayat hall when the ambulance facility is available for the entire coastal belt areas.
On the controversial western bypass, gram sabha members urged the Chair to send a strong reminder to the PWD to make clear that the villagers of Benaulim are strongly opposed to the bypass by filling up low lying fields. Members pointed out they have no objection if the bypass is built on stilts, and took strong exception to the statements made by Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and state PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar giving their nod for the construction of the western bypass through the low-lying flood plains of river Sal in Benaulim village.
