To hold demonstrations in every ward, make it an election issue
Shiv Sena chief Jitesh Kamat addressing the media along with North Goa District Congress President, Vijay Bhike, senior councillor, Sudhir Kandolkar and others on Wednesday.
Photo Credits: Agnelo Pereira.
MAPUSA
The Cunchelim Cricket Ground Bachav Samiti (CCGBS) on Wednesday said it will hold demonstrations in every ward and key junctions in Mapusa to highlight the illegal development of the Cunchelim playground into plots by the local communidade and some politicians.
The CCGBS has also decided to make the Cunchelim playground into an election issue during the ensuing civic elections.
“We will hold demonstrations in every ward of the Mapusa Municipal Council to make people aware of the illegal conversion of the playground into plots with the tacit support of the civic body and some politicians,” said Vijay Bhike, who is also the North Goa District Congress President.
Bhike along with Shiv Sena chief Jitesh Kamat, senior councillor Sudhir Kandolkar, RTI activist Jawaharlal Shetye and others were addressing a news conference in Mapusa.
Speaking further, Bhike said the CCGBS had written to various authorities but failed to get any response from them.
“We tried our best to contact the Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza, but he refused to meet us or take our calls,” he said.
He also said the issue of the Cunchelim playground will be raised during the municipal election as that was the only language the politicians understood.
Alleging that the development of the Cunchelim playground as a big scam, Shiv Sena chief Jitesh Kamat said the playground has been sub-divided into 49 plots of around 300 sq mts each while three other plots were being developed each having more than 1000 sq. mtrs area.
“These three plots of bigger area may have been reserved for some top officials including some politicians,” Kamat alleged.
The Shiv Sena chief said that there were at least 4-5 councillors who are shareholders in the Cunchelim communidade.
“Politicians are definitely involved in this land scam. Without the support of the politicians, this project can never move forward,” Kamat alleged.
He said some vested persons were trying to spread rumours against the members of CCGBS to bid to discredit them.
RTI activist, Jawaharlal Shetye informed that the Cunchelim playground was taken up for development as a stadium by GSUDA under the FRANCIS scheme with the blessing of the former Mapusa MLA late Francis D’Souza.
He informed a consultant was also appointed to take the project of the stadium forward.
He further said that the communidade had issued a NOC to develop the playground in 2013 but in 2017 the same communidade under a new managing committee cancelled the NOC.
