MAPUSA
Quoting the Mahatma, NGPDA chairman and Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo urged his critics to “be the change” and join the development process in Candolim, albeit with a rider that development will happen the way he wants.
The Calangute MLA, however, failed to quell the opposition to his style of development or clear the doubts of the people.
Taking part in the Candolim gram sabha, on Sunday, Lobo rattled a series of works taken up in the village and sought people’s cooperation to take the process forward.
From hot-mixing of all internal roads by December, constructing footpaths and covering the drains to plans of shifting power lines underground, he said all-out efforts will be made to put basic infrastructure in place.
“Work on at least two new bunds costing around Rs 7 crore will start soon after monsoon and parking slot will be developed,” Lobo said.
On the opposition against the proposed road through the fields, the NGPDA chairman said that if people did not want the road he will
have it removed from the regional plan.
“We had suggested a new road through the fields because the current main thoroughfare cannot be widened further. But if locals do not want, we will remove it from the plan,” he assured.
Taking the credit of reducing the width of the current main road to 15 metres from the proposed 25 metres, he said this was done keeping people’s interest in mind.
Lobo said all internal roads leading to the beach will be shown as six metres in the outline development plan (ODP). “This is required as all projects which were earlier given approvals have to be regularized,” he tried to rationalize.
Quite a few locals, however, were not amused with the MLA’s promises and definitely not willing to buy his development agenda.
“We are all for development but we want it done through the village development committees and the local panchayat,” said Roshan Mathias. Questioning the MLA’s development model, Mathias said that roads have been widened without acquiring land or serving notices to the owners.
“If the owners do not have a proper paper trail how will they be able to demand for compensation later?” he inquired with the MLA.
Another local, Sachin Kuttikar said that if the village was brought under PDA/ODP only 20 percent of locals would stand to benefit but it would fetch 80 percent windfall to builders.
“It’s a backdoor entry to builders. We know of people who have acquired huge tracts of land in Candolim. And these 6/8 metre roads to the beach will sound a death knell of the village,” Kuttikar said to a loud applause.
Upset at pointed questions thrown at him, the local MLA said that only two or three persons were speaking negatively and putting pressure on the people.
“You are going backward. I want to go forward. I am for development,” Lobo said chastising his opponents.
Trying to fire fight the criticism, he then took shelter in Mahatma Gandhi’s famous words. “If you want to bring a change, come take part in the development process and be the change,” he told his detractors.
The drift of Sunday’s gram sabha clearly showed that the Calangute MLA will not go unchallenged. The MLA, however, has the backing of the local panchayat.
