Navelim villagers question licence approval; p’yat calls meeting on Monday to decide course of action
Navelim residents confronting Navelim Panchayat Secretary for issuing the construction licence for a housing project by overruling the panchayat body.
MARGAO
Residents of Ratwaddo-Navelim intensified their agitation against the housing project as they confronted the Navelim panchayat secretary on Thursday at the Panchayat Ghar for issuing the construction licence by invoking the deeming clause after overruling the panchayat decision.
After the residents created uproar at the Panchayat Ghar demanding that the panchayat revisit the issue, Sarpanch Paul Pereira has called for a special meeting of the panchayat on Monday to discuss the matter and oppose the decision.
Sarpanch Paul told the meeting after the agitated residents called on him on Thursday that he would immediately convene a meeting to discuss the issues raised by the residents demanding revocation of the construction licence.
The residents led by social activist Pratima Coutinho warned the panchayat secretary, hailing from Sattari, that the women from Navelim will not take things lying down if any attempt is made to bulldoze with the controversial project. Demanding to know whether the panchayat secretary has overruled the panchayat body by invoking the deeming clause upon pressure, Pratima warned that the people of Navelim will not be cowed down by any pressure. She demanded that Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar take cognisance of the issue and transfer the panchayat secretary from Navelim with immediate effect.
Questioning the rationale behind the panchayat secretary’s decision to invoke the deeming clause, she pointed out that the sarpanch has maintained that the panchayat had acted on the application for construction licence by holding an inspection.
She added: “Inspection of the construction site had revealed that the area is low lying and water catchment. The property had no proper six-metre road. This has been confirmed by the sarpanch who was present for the inspection. Hence, there was no cause for the panchayat secretary to invoke the deeming clause and issue the construction licence.”
Sarpanch Paul explained that the secretary issued the construction licence on Monday evening despite the panchayat’s strong opposition earlier that day.
