MAPUSA
Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Tuesday said Calangute will continue to retain its status as a village panchayat and the “urban” classification of the village will benefit the people.
He also said that there was a need to extend the curfew until the positive cases and deaths reduce to zero in the State.
“Calangute will remain a village panchayat. Just because it is declared as an urban area it will not be converted into a municipality. It will be a village panchayat only. There are a lot of advantages of assigning an urban status to the village,” Lobo said.
The Ports Minister was speaking to reporters along the sidelines of a seed distribution function in Calangute. Calangute Sarpanch Shawn Martins was also present.
Continuing, Lobo said urban status will grant a lot of benefits to the people in due course of time.
“The coastal village is highly populated and a business area where a lot of locals are involved in self-employment business. They will benefit out of this urban status,” he said, without elaborating on the same.
The declaration of Calangute as an urban area has led to a churn among the locals in the coastal village, many of whom have questioned the wisdom of the political leadership in introducing the change.
Several villagers are worried that the urban status will lead to a hike in land rates and benefit the land mafia.
“It’s a wrong impression in the minds of the people. The minimum rate of land in Calangute is Rs 6,500 (per sq mt). It cannot go up more than that. Calangute was declared as an urban area more than 15 years ago. Now, we have officially notified it,” Lobo said.
The State government has recently notified Calangute as an urban area for the purpose of the Goa Land Revenue Code.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (38) of section 2 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 (Act No. 9 of 1969), the government of Goa hereby notifies the village of Calangute as an urban area for the purpose of the said code,” said Sudin Natu, Under Secretary, Revenue in a notification released on May 27.
The ports minister said there is a need to continue with the curfew to reduce the positivity rate and deaths to zero.
“People should have little patience and remain indoors to flatten the Covid-19 curve. Positive cases and deaths should be zero. Till then, the curfew should be extended,” Lobo said.
He said the markets should not be opened or else everyone will rush to the market.
He also said that police should be proactive to dissuade people, especially youngsters who unnecessarily move around with vehicles on roads.
“The police should take some stringent measures to discourage people coming out. As per the curfew timings, people should return home by 1 pm. But we find people still out till 2.30 pm and the police don’t take action. Police should at least question them,” he said.
