MARGAO
The Carmona village panchayat on Saturday resolved to challenge the order of the Additional Panchayat Director, South, which had allowed the appeal filed by Verda resorts against the local body’s decision for not renewing the license of the resort.
The issue had figured at the panchayat meeting chaired by sarpanch Savita Mascarenhas on Saturday morning, wherein after much discussions it was decided to challenge the Additional Panchayat Director’s order.
The sarpanch later told the media that the panchayat has resolved to challenge the Additional Panchayat Director’s order in the South Goa District Court. “Based on today’s resolution, the Panchayat will immediately ask its lawyer to file the petition challenging the Additional Director’s order,” Savita added.
Additional Panchayat Director Florina Colaco had last month allowed an appeal filed by the establishment under section 72 (3) of the Goa Panchayati Raj Act. Verda had filed an appeal before the Court of Additional Panchayat Director after the panchayat had withheld renewal of its license by asking the resort to produce documents showing the change in use of the building from residential to commercial.
Incidentally, the Additional Panchayat director, while allowing Verda’s appeal, however, did not issue any direction to the panchayat, other than saying that it should only take note of the observations in the order.
Residents had been agitating against Verda for running a resort in a residential locality even though the building was built only for residential use. They have been protesting against the movement of tourist coaches through the narrow roads to the resort, leaving them to contend with severe inconveniences.
