QUEPEM
The Paroda village panchayat gram sabha on Sunday turned out to be a stormy with villagers raising the issue of construction of illegal houses in paddy fields and rampant filling of land.
Tempers ran high as Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias wanted to push a resolution to legalise the illegal houses which are under construction. The villagers accused the MLA of being involved in a land scam.
The gram sabha proceedings reached a boiling point with fears of scuffle between the villagers of Paroda and supporters of the MLA.
The local MLA was of the opinion that paddy fields which are not cultivated for more than 25 years should be converted as settlement zone so that the villagers can construct houses. He said he will raise the issue in the next assembly session.
The villagers, who are spearheading a movement against illegal selling of tenanted paddy fields, alleged paddy fields were sold to outsiders with the blessings of the local MLA. They accused him of being involved in a land scam all over Paroda.
They said his presence at the gram sabha was purely for his selfish motive of legalising his illegalities and blunders. The villagers opined that they had no objection if any of the villager is building a house for himself but were opposed to sale of tenanted paddy fields to outsiders.
They claimed that more than 20 illegal houses were constructed on the hill at Agramorod-Paroda, Quepem, by outsiders and they neither possess property papers nor any construction license. This is happening with the blessings of the local MLA, they reiterated.
Sarpanch Inas Treza was of the opinion that 99 percent of the houses in Paroda village were illegal. He said no one should oppose if villagers construct houses as there is no place to build legal houses in the village. He further opined that the government should give some concessions to those who want to construct houses in the paddy fields.
In a press release issued by the villagers after the gram sabha, they said they had submitted questions to the Paroda panchayat for discussion on illegal filling of land and development of plots to accommodate outsiders.
They had sought an action taken report on notices served to the panchayat by TCP department regarding illegal development of plots.
The villagers alleged rampant filling of land and development of plots in the village with support from MLA and local panchayat body. Although several complaints were made on the illegalities, the panchayat has neither conducted any inquiry nor has taken any action to curb the illegalities, they added.
Gabriel Fernandes, who speaking for the villagers of Paroda, said that they will not be cowed down by the power and influence of the
Local MLA. “We have all information which will expose all his illegalities including the construction of a bungalow in a tenanted paddy field which reflects in the properties held by the spouse of the MLA in his affidavit which he submitted during election,” he stated.
