the goan I network
VASCO
The Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) on Wednesday reportedly assured to take residents of Chicalim into confidence while preparing the revision of the Land Use Map and Land Use Register for Chicalim.
According to Chicalim Village Action Committee (CVAC) member Cyril Fernandes, the MPDA has also accepted the invitation of Chicalim villagers and all MPDA members would visit the village to understand various features of their village given its history, heritage, ecology and biodiversity.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Fernandes said the assurance was given by the MPDA sub-committee appointed in the revision of Land Use Plan for Chicalim.
“Member Secretary Vertika Dagur and MPDA members, Brian Pereira and Chandrakant Gawas, are the three-member sub-committee appointed to hear the grievances of locals in this matter.”
“The Chicalim Panchayat, local associations and residents were invited for a personal hearing today given the representations they had submitted earlier to MPDA over the proposed revision of the Land Use Map and Land Use Register.”
“Chicalim Sarpanch Sebastiao Pereira demanded that the MPDA depute a technical expert to the Gram Sabha of the village to explain the proposed revision,” said Fernandes.
“This was accepted by the sub-committee and they sought a suitable date from the sarpanch. CVAC members pointed out that the present proposed revision of the Land Use Map and Register was not as per the procedure laid down and sought necessary corrections,” Fernandes added.
He claimed that the CVAC and the Chicalim Biodiversity Management Committee (CBMC) had informed the sub-committee about errors in the proposal of the MPDA sent to the Panchayat.
“Members of CVAC and CBMC requested the subcommittee to study their proposal and if found suitable and within the parameters of the law, to adopt the same after due consultation. The sub-committee agreed to look into the proposed Land Use Map and Register prepared by the villagers and revert to villagers for further action.”
Fernandes said the present Land Use Map and Land Use Register had been sent to Chicalim Panchayat in July and were placed before the Gram Sabha for inspection and suggestions/objections if any.
“The Gram Sabha had unanimously rejected the proposed Map and Register for not providing adequate time to study the proposal and to submit the suggestions/objections and had sought more time.”
The MPDA then extended the period for the benefit of the Panchayat and residents.
“Residents later made a detailed study of the proposed Land Use Map and the Land Use Register and pointed out various discrepancies in the said proposal of the MPDA which were in violation of the Town and Country Planning Act,” said Fernandes.
Chicalim sarpanch Sebastiao Pereira, panches Marie Mascarenhas, Robert Falcao and Damiao Rodrigues represented the Panchayat while the Chicalim Biodiversity Committee was represented by Rui Costa Araujo and Gasper Fernandes.
Cyril Fernandes, Pratap Mardolkar and Sanjay Mhalsekar represented the Chicalim Villagers Action Committee, while Edwin Mascarenhas was present in his individual capacity, Fernandes said.
