MARGAO
Gram sabha members of Curtorim village panchayat on Sunday sent a loud and clear message that they would be forced to halt the functioning of the panchayat if the controversial housing projects at Maina and other areas were not stopped and scrapped by August 15.
The gram sabha meeting, chaired by Sarpanch Milagres Rodrigues, saw members raising a host of issues, including the proposal to create plots on the land that earlier housed the erstwhile Mormugao Steel factory.
Members led by Moreno Rebello demanded that the factory area, which falls under the industrial zone, should instead be used to set up non-polluting industries such as pharmaceutical units to provide employment opportunities for unemployed youth in the village.
Rebello sought the intervention of local Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, who heads the Goa Industrial Development Corporation, to facilitate the setting up of non-polluting units on the land left behind by the Mormugao Steel factory instead of allowing housing plots.
The meeting opposed Section 39-A of the TCP Act, with members stating that the amendment threatened to destroy Goa.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco told the gram sabha that neither he nor the panchayat had proposed any of the mega housing projects in the village. He said the gram sabha had opposed multi-dwelling units exceeding two to three units.
On the issue of road widening in the village, the MLA clarified that he had not moved any proposal to widen village roads. The clarification came after members raised concerns that roads were being proposed for widening to pave the way for mega housing projects in the village.
Speaking to the media later, Moreno Rebello said the gram sabha had set a deadline for the village panchayat to stop the housing projects at Maina by August 15, warning that people would be forced to halt the functioning of the panchayat.
