Threatens to stage agitation at CM’s residence if demand not met
PERNEM
The Pedne Bachao Abhiyan (PBA) on Thursday warned of an agitation at the residence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, if the Pernem Taluka draft zoning plan was not scrapped by October 17.
This was the clarion call by speakers at a largely attended public meeting organised by the PBA at the Mauli Mandir Complex in Virnoda late Thursday evening.
The meeting was attended by Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar, Mandrem Sarpanch Amit Sawant, Virnoda Sarpanch Sujata Thakur, Harmal Sarpanch Bernard Fernandes, Agarwada Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes, former Sarpanch Sitaram Parab, panch Swati Malpekar, former Sarpanch Daniel D’Souza, Palye panch Sagar Tilve, Adv Prasad Shahapurkar, Dayanand Manjarekar and others.
Speakers at the meeting claimed that the draft zoning plan had been prepared without taking locals and their elected representatives into confidence.
Stating that the decision to keep the zoning plan in abeyance was unacceptable, they demanded the cancellation of the plan by October 17, failing which people would march to the residence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to push for the demand.
Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar appealed to the government not to harass the locals, and to scrap the plan immediately.
Mandrem Sarpanch Adv Amit Sawant also spoke on the occasion, stating that the people of Mandrem would not tolerate the ill-treatment meted out to their elected representative.
Speakers also claimed that 45 homes and 7 temples could be threatened if a 15-metre-wide road is constructed from Virnoda to Manasi in Virnoda.
“The 45-metre-wide road will pass through private lands after bulldozing residential houses,” stated Jit Arolkar and warned that he would stand with the people of Mandrem and Pernem taluka.
Adv Prasad Shahapurkar said the people of Mandrem and Pernem have successfully carried out campaigns and movements in a peaceful manner.
Virnoda Sarpanch Sujata Thakur, Harmal former sarpanch Daniel D’Souza, former sarpanch Sitaram Parab also spoke at the meeting.
