the goan I network
MAPUSA
Informing that massive mud dumping was going on in the fields near the church at Naika-vaddo, Jose Braganza questioned the panchayat whether it had issued permission for land filling in the area. Calangute Deputy Sarpanch, Joseph Sequeira denied granting any permission for land filling and accused the authorities for failure to stop land filling of agricultural land. He also blamed local MLA, Michael Lobo for encouraging land filling of fields.
“This government is not concerned about Goa or Goans. On several occasions we complained to the flying squad and the police, but no authority is ready to take action against land filling,” Sequeira said. Braganza said if it was so easy to land fill agriculture land, then he might as well start doing the same in his fields.
The Calangute deputy sarpanch further informed that sometime back he had filed a complaint before the deputy collector, Mapusa against illegal land filling in Arpora, but none of the authorities were able to take action against it.
Blaming local MLA, Michael Lobo for illegal land filling in the constituency, he said it appeared the government was backing him (Lobo) in the act.
He further said the local MLA was responsible to selectively convert orchard/agriculture land into settlement zone.
Another gram sabha member, Kundan Kerkar said unauthorized hawkers form outside the State were creating nuisance in the village and demanded action against such unethical hawkers by the panchayat.
The deputy sarpanch said panchayat per se could not take action against the hawkers but police could take action on nuisance makers.
Kerkar further informed nuisance created by stray cattle in the village even as panchayat failed to resolve the menace.
Sequeira expressed helplessness in controlling the stray cattle menace as the panchayat failed to recruit impounders.
“No one is coming forward for the job to impound the cattle. We inserted so many advertisements in the newspapers but no one is applying for the job,” he said.
