Project in NDZ catches Merces panchas on wrong foot
THE GOAN NETWORK
OLD GOA
The Merces Panchayat authorities were caught on the wrong foot when they feigned ignorance regarding permission to a project near Swami Samarth temple at Kumbarvaddy even after providing the survey numbers of the property which the villagers claimed falls under no development zone (NDZ).
At the gram sabha on Sunday, a written proposal from Kumbarvaddy villagers was submitted, wherein they questioned whether the panchayat has issued any permission for the said project.
However, instead of giving a straightforward answer, the panchayat authorities tried to outsmart the villagers by stating that they will conduct a site inspection to find out whether any permission has been issued.
But, as the villagers refused to buy the bluff, an opposition Panch Lavu Hoble dropped the bomb by stating that the project has been 'okayed' at the panchayat meeting.
Caught on the wrong foot, the ruling panchas then tried to point out that the permissions are granted by the TCP and not the panchayat.
Later, even when the media pointed out that the TCP forwards the files to the panchayat for issuing licences, one of the panchas was adamant that the files are passed by the TCP and panchayats have no say.
Meanwhile, groupism came to the fore with one group questioning the continuous discussion by another group over illegalities conducted by a restaurant owner, located near the Santa Cruz-Merces highway.
When the issue of illegalities at the restaurant was raised by Jerry Vaz, Sudesh Kalangutkar and others, the other group led by Domnic Nazareth and Neves Joao raised objection by questioning why only one restaurant owner was targeted.
“Illegalities are seen everywhere in the village, then why target only one individual,” questioned Neves Joao.
However, not to give up Vaz pointed out that the restaurant owner has build a septic tank near the valve of the water pipeline supplying drinking water to Merces and other villages, due to which he and other like-minded individuals have been continuously raising the issue at all the meetings.
The issue of haphazard parking in the village also figured with the villagers demanding that certain areas where the roads are narrow should be notified as ‘no parking’ zones so that there is smooth flow of traffic. The Merces Panchayat has now agreed to identify areas in the village which could be declared as ‘no parking’ zones.
