MARGAO
A meeting of Curtorim panchayat members with local MLA Reginaldo Lourenco on Saturday vowed to unitedly fight tooth and nail any government move to bulldoze through with the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) Camp or any other police related project on the Curtorim Leprosy hospital land.
The elected representatives have pledged to protect the land, which plays host to rich biodiversity, for posterity, asserting the land donated by a good Samaritan for leprosy hospital cannot be utilized for the IRB camp.
In fact, they pointed out that the land in question, which is in the possession of the Directorate of Health Services, should be utilized for setting up a hospital or a public utility project connected with health for the benefit of the common man.
‘Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco was invited by Curtoirm Sarpanch Milagres for a meeting with the panchayat members to ascertain the status of the government’s plan to set up the IRB camp in the village against the wishes and sentiments of the villagers.
During discussions, the Sarpanch referred to the fears and doubts raised in certain quarters that the government is hell bent on either setting up the IRB camp on the leprosy hospital land or execute a project for the Goa police.
Allaying the fears and apprehensions raised by the people, the Curtorim MLA suggested to the Sarpanch to make a letter to him, promising to take up the matter with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, saying “under no circumstances, we will allow the leprosy hospital land for the IRB camp or project of the Goa Police”.
Reginaldo later told ‘The Goan’ that Curtorim panchayat members as well as the villagers have a genuine fear that the government will bulldoze with the IRB camp or police project on the land as is evident with clearing of vegetation and bushes from the land in question. “We have objected to the IRB camp at the gram sabha at least on two occasions. I had raised the issue in the Assembly, demanding scrapping of the IRB camp project and to give the people a health project or a higher education institute for the benefit of the common man. This is the stand of the people of Curtorim and neighbouring villages”, he said.
Reginaldo added: “The land in question is rich in biodiversity. Let the government set up a botanical garden on the land. Villagers do not want destruction of their heritage by bringing the IRB camp. Our ancestors had protected the land and will not allow the IRB under any circumstances”.
Sarpanch Milagres Rodrigues said the meeting with the MLA was convened to find out whether the government is hell bent in pushing the IRB camp or any other Police project on the villagers. “We have told the MLA that the villagers are opposed to the IRB camp or any other police project. A hospital will go a long way in benefitting the common man”, he added.
Deputy Sapranch Simon Baretto said the panchayat members sent a message loud and clear to the MLA to convey to the government that Curtorkars will not accept a IRB camp or a Police station on the leprosy hospital land.
