the goan I network
MAPUSA
Sending a clear and strong message to the Calangute panchayat, the locals of the beach village on Monday said that if the illegal road on the beach was not removed within eight days, the villagers will come down and remove the road.
“If the Calangute panchayat does not remove the road within eight days we will remove the road. We will also march to the panchayat office next Monday to meet the sarpanch,” the locals said in one voice.
Around 150 to 200 villagers had attended a public meeting to express their solidarity against the construction of the illegal road on the beach at Sauntavaddo-Khobravaddo border in Calangute.
Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF), President, Premanand Divkar said a word was being spread around that CCF was misleading the people.
“CCF does not talk in the air. We do not speak against any individual. But when there is destruction of nature and things are going out of hand, we correct those people involved in taking wrong decisions. I think those involved in building the illegal road and destruction of nature do not want to be corrected,” Divkar said.
He said CCF was taking up public issues because public was inconvenienced and several people were suffering due to some wrong decisions.
“I am challenging those people who say we are misleading to come before me and debate. I am challenging the local MLA, village sarpanch and each and every member of the panchayat to sit across and debate with me on facts,” Divkar thundered amidst loud applause.
He said the 300 metre long road was constructed by destroying sand dunes and the white sand on the beach.
“The sand has become red with mud. This is a lifetime destruction carried out by the panchayat,” the CCF chief said.
He said Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) officials have promised to conduct an inspection and prepare a report of the illegal road.
Stating that the government was building huge roads in several parts of the State for the builder lobby, Pilerne Citizens Forum, President, Prakash Bandodkar alleged that the elected representatives had become dalal of builders.
“This road is built for builders. If we people request the panchayat to construct a road for us they will never do it,” he said.
He said time has come to teach politicians a lesson.
A local Sudesh Shirodkar said that the road was shown in the ODP and the PDA but since the ODP was yet to be approved how the road was constructed. “Our MLA raises a lot of point of orders during the assembly sessions. I want to bring to the attention of the Chief Minister that what development is happening in Calangute is not in order,” Shirodkar said.
He requested the CM to institute an inquiry on destruction that was going on in Calangute.
Godwin Fernandes, Damiao Telles, Walter Lobo and Domingos Fernandes also spoke at the public meeting held at the illegal road site in Calangute.
Former Calangute MLA, Agnel Fernandes and former Calangute Sarpanch, Joseph Sequiera were present for
the meeting.
