MARGAO
Vehemently objecting to Ms Bullion Infra Structure Pvt Ltd’s application for change of zone of paddy fields, water bodies and mangroves for an eco resort on land admeasuring 90,000 square meters in the village, the Carmona panchayat on Saturday resolved to recommend to the Chief Town Planner and the Town & Country Planning Board to reject the application for the change of zone.
It has been decided that a delegation of the panchayat body would call on the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai with a request not to accept Ms Bullion’s application for change of zone.
The meeting chaired by Sarpanch Allwyn Jorge unanimously resolved to recommend to the CTP and the TCP Board to reject Ms Bullion’s application on the ground that the change of zone of the paddy fields/water bodies/mangroves will threaten and destroy the natural habitat of the ecologically sensitive zone in the village.
The resolution adopted at the meeting said that change of zone, if permitted, will lead to flooding, ruin the fertile khazan lands, pollute the adjoining rivulets, destroy its marine life and the flora and fauna of the area and cause an imminent man-made disaster in the village for the sole benefit of the owner.
“This will also put enormous pressure on the existing limited infrastructure of the village such as water supply, power supply, garbage and roads and also pollute the river, ground water with sewage and destroy the natural habitat,” the resolution stated, adding that the project will ruin the demographic
character of the entire village for the sole benefit of the applicant.
While placing the issue at the special body meeting of the panchayat on Saturday morning, sarpanch Allywn told the members that the local body was totally kept in the dark by the TCP
department.
He lamented that the TCP department decided to take the panchayat for granted and went ahead with Ms Bullion’s proposal without even obtaining an NOC from the panchayat body.
The sarpanch told the media that members of the panchayat would call on the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and submit to him a copy of the resolution opposing the change of zone of the property in question.
The sarpanch said that the 16-B Amendment to the TCP Act, operationalization of the RP 21 and appointment of a separate town planner for planning seemed to be a well planned move of the government to finish off at one go whatever is left of Goa.
“Wounds of Raheja inflicted on the people are still not healed and this issue is like rubbing salt over their wound,” the sarpanch said, while disclosing plans to call on the TCP Minister with a copy of a panchayat resolution.
