Old Goa
Chimbel villagers took the panchayat authorities to task over its duplicity regarding opposition to the IT park project with allegations that the local body has submitted a letter to the IT minister extending its support to the project.
Speaking at the gram sabha on Sunday, Govind Shirodkar said that they are in possession of a letter from the panchayat extending support to the project.
“On one hand the panchayat authorities are stating that they are with the people in opposing IT project, but on the other hand extending support to the project secretly,” Shirodkar alleged while adding that the panchayat should come clear in its stand vis-a-vis the project.
Another villager John Lobo suggested that if the panchayat is indeed with the villagers, it should take legal recourse as the government has gone ahead with the tendering process by bypassing the village panchayat. “We are giving a week’s time to the panchayat authorities to dwell and decide on the issue,” Lobo stated and informed that Chimbel panchayat has a strong case as the IT department has failed to reply to several correspondences made to it with regards to the IT park.
Replying to the issue, sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar said that all the eleven panchas will meet and take a decision on taking legal recourse, which will be then conveyed to the villagers.
Another villager Tukaram Kunkolkar stated that if the panchayat authorities fail to bow down to the wishes of the people, the villagers will be forced to hit the streets against the project.
The issue of burning of garbage was also discussed with the villagers alleging that the panchayat is not serious enough in its efforts to start garbage collection in the village. “The other panchayats of St Cruz constituency have already begun garbage collection but Chimbel continues to lag behind as it has been unable to get permission from Saligao waste plant authorities to transport its garbage there,” a villager claimed.
Meanwhile, tense moments were witnessed at the gram sabha as a group took exception to an issue of burning of trees in a property. Members of the group issued threats to the person who raised the issue and asked him not to interfere in their matter.
