OLD GOA
When contacted, Merces Deputy Sarpanch Armstrong Braganza informed that he has heard about the ‘Goa Bazaar' project for the first time and said the panchayat authorities have not been informed about it.
"The panchayat has not received any proposal from the government regarding setting up of ‘Goa Bazaar' in our village," informed Braganza.
"I do not even know the location of this project," he added.
When apprised that the RDA minister had already stated that the project is likely to begin in January next year, a surprised Braganza responded: "How will the project begin without the permissions of the panchayat?"
Similar views were expressed by former sarpanch Prakash Naik, who said the panchayat is completely in the dark about the project. Naik too said he was unaware about the exact location of the project.
An activist, Jose Carmin Joao, informed that their association has taken the issue seriously and even held an initial discussion on the matter.
"We have still not chalked out our future course of action and we are going to meet again to hold an elaborate discussion on the issue," he added.
However, Joao claimed that the project is going to come up somewhere in a mangrove area which is located along the national highway, between Niyaaz and A Lua restaurants.
Another villager, Jerry Vaz, also said that the project is coming up in the mangrove area.
"The government had acquired the land a long time ago," he informed, while stating that the issue is most likely to be raised in the gram sabha on Sunday.
When contacted, local MLA Tony Fernandes informed that the project was planned long back.
"It will be located near the land where the court complex is coming up, along the A Lua road," informed Fernandes.
Asked whether he had been kept in the loop about the project, Fernandes did not give a straight answer, but said he would meet the minister concerned and discuss the prospects of jobs for the locals.
On the issue of the area acting up as a catchment area during rains, Fernandes replied: "All issues will be taken care of by the department."
