Carmona p’yat resolves to withhold trade licence of Verda resort

MARGAO
In a significant decision, the Carmona Panchayat body on Sunday resolved to withhold renewal of the trade license of the controversial Verda resort, with a direction to the management to submit documents from a competent authority authorizing the resort to change of the use of their residential project in Olvaddo ward from residential to commercial.
The meeting has further resolved to write to the Town and Country Planning department to clarify on the completion certificate issued to Kaijji Real Estate, whether any permission was granted for use of the project from residential to commercial.
Sarpanch Winston later told The Goan that the panchayat meeting was clear in the decision that it will not renew the trade license issued
for Verda till the resort management submits documents from a competent authority authorizing it to change the use of their residential project from residential to commercial.
The Sarpanch replied in the positive when questioned whether the panchayat resolution would imply that Verda resort would have to stop its operations from October 27, the day the resort was required to get renewal of the trade license from the Panchayat body.
"If Verda fails to submit the relevant documents indicating that they have the necessary permissions to change the use of the premise from residential to commercial, I do not think they have any right to operate the resort after October 27," Winston said.
He said given that the Panchayat body remains closed on Monday, the Panchayat would dispatch the Panchayat resolution to Verda resort on Tuesday morning itself. The resolution tabled by Sarpanch Winston was supported by panch members Allwyn George, Vailona and Sandra Fernandes.
Deputy Sarpanch and ward member, Savita Mascarenhas said she did not support the resolution for the simple reason that the Panchayat had promised to convene a joint meeting on October 24 with the agitating residents and representatives of Verda resort. "Even before the October 24 meeting could take place, the panchayat took the decision to keep the trade license renewal on hold without any clarify how much time the Panchayat was ready to give Verda to submit the documents. I know the plight of the residents of Olvaddo and that's the reason why I along with the residents have been demanding that the Panchayat should not renew the trade license after October 27", Savita said.
Sarpanch Winston, however, justified his decision to hold the Panchayat body meeting on Sunday two days ahead of the proposed meeting between the Panchayat, residents and Verda management. ‘It would have been one month on October 25 since Verda had made an application to the Panchayat body for renewal of the license. I had no option than to convene a meeting of the Panchayat body on Sunday to take a decision",
Winston said, reiterating that Verda would have to shut down operations from October 27 if they cannot produce the relevant documents authorizing the change of use of the project from residential to commercial.
Panch Allwyn George said today's meeting was necessary due to the one month limit for appeal. "If Verda fails to produce any documents, then the resort will have to shut operations from October 27. Our body decision will be conveyed to Verda immediately," Allwyn said.