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The Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) and the influx of migrants dominated the proceedings in Calangute gram sabha on Sunday.
Calangute Panchayat Secretary, Raghuvir Bhagkar informed the gram sabha that the panchayat did not receive any instructions from the Block Development Officer (BDO) to hold a special gram sabha to discuss the CZMP in the village.
Calangute sarpanch, Shawn Martins and the secretary were clueless when former panch member, Clotilda Braganza told the gram sabha that the BDO had sent a memorandum to all coastal panchayats to hold a special gram sabha to discuss the coastal plan.
Moving a proposal against the CZMP, a local, Francis stated that the coastal plan was prepared without taking local stakeholders into confidence.
“The CZMP has failed to indicate sand dunes, water bodies, fishing cove etc in the maps and therefore should be rejected in totality,” Francis said.
Another local, Premanand Divkar informed that since Calangute was the main coastal village it was affected by the CZMP.
He said the panchayat may have failed to study and discuss the coastal plan submitted by the NCSCM but some of the villagers who are members of an NGO have made a detailed study of the draft plan.
“The High Tide line has been shown very close to the beach while water bodies, sand dunes, fishing bays and other key entities have not been shown in the plan,” Divkar said.
“The panchayat should hold a special gram sabha to discuss the issue and reject the CZMP in totality,” he added.
The sarpanch assured the villagers to look into the matter and take appropriate decision in the interest of the village.
Another villager moved a proposal expressing concern on the influx of migrants in the State and called on the panchayat to take appropriate steps to control their entry.
“People providing accommodation to migrants should be taken to task as in many cases the owner fails to provide proper toilet and bathrooms to the tenants,” George said.
A local, Benedict Lobo informed that at least 600 migrants have been registered and their tenant verification forms, address, phone number was noted in a drive conducted by the initiative of the villagers.
“What action has the panchayat taken to act against the migrant influx in the village,” Premanand Divkar questioned.
He said it was suggested that each ward member will take responsibility and collate info of migrants in his or her ward.
The sarpanch said a system to keep a track on migrants was put in place and if need be some more initiatives may have to be taken.
Antonio D’Souza and Jose Braganza questioned the panchayat for failing to clear all the nullahs in the village before the monsoon.
The sarpanch informed that most of the nullahs were cleaned but requested the public to bring to the attention of the panchayat if any were left to be cleaned.
He also assured the gram sabha that hotmixing of all internals roads in the village have been passed and even estimated cost worked out and work on them will be taken up in November.
