MARGAO
The controversial hot mix plant proposed in the village and the stone crushers dominated the proceedings of the gram sabha of the Paroda village Panchayat on Sunday.
At the meeting chaired by Sarpanch Paulina, the second hot mix plant proposed in the village was a subject of intense discussions between the members. Tempers ran high inside the meeting hall and outside during discussion on the issue as a large number of gram sabha members attended the meeting.
The issue over the setting up of the second hot mix plant had dominated at the previous meeting as well. However, members pointed out that the promoter of the hot mix plant went in appeal to the Block Development Officer to obtain permission.
The meeting saw two groups of members supporting and opposing the hot mix plant. In the midst of the debate, another group of members demanded action against the stone crushers operating in the village.
Sarpanch Paulina later told the media that there was difference of opinion on the hot mix plant, with some supporting and others opposing the project. She said a decision has been taken at the meeting to file an appeal over the decision of the BDO on the hot mix plant.
To a question, she said the Panchayat would also initiate action against the stone crushers operating in the village.
Former Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias also raised the issue of the notice sent to him by the panchayat against a structure for removal. He said the structure is neither located on a hillock nor on an agricultural field, but on orchard land. “I have applied to the department for change in zone of the land to settlement. I have sought time from the panchayat to prepare the necessary file and submit the same to the Panchayat”, he said, while demanding to know whether the Panchayat would adopt the same criteria for all such constructions in the village.
