Row over Dovondem mega housing project deepens

Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai seen at the site of the controversial 290-odd apartment project on Saturday issuing instructions to stop the work.

MARGAO
In a significant development on the controversial 290-flat mega housing project at Dovondem, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Saturday assured the local residents that he would not allow the project to come up in the locality come what may.

Saying that Fatorda believes in the concept ‘development by consent’, he said though the housing project is owned and executed by a private entity, the same will not be allowed to materialise against the wishes and sentiments of the local people.

When the media pointed out that the project proponent may take legal recourse if the project is forcibly stopped, Sardesai shot back “we have a medicine which will be used at the right time to ensure the project does not see light of the day”.

Descending at the project site along with Margao Municipal councillors Lyndon Pereira and Johnny Crasto, besides local residents, Sardesai said the project was stopped around 18 years ago when the proponent had proposed to build 80 flats. “It is apparent that the project proponent has got the zone changed from the SGPDA headed by the BJP to build 290-odd flats. I am not in the government to effect zone changes. There may be many zones which have been changed and increased by the SGPDA without taking the members into confidence,” he said.

Giving a firm assurance that the controversial project will not come up at Dovondem, Sardesai said, “I have no interest in the project. But, I want to give a guarantee to the residents of Dovondem that the project will not come up at the site,” he asserted.

Saying that some persons tried to politicise the issue, Sardesai admitted the project, if allowed to take shape will alter the demography of Dovondem. “Unlike other areas of Fatorda, Dovondem still has rural characteristics where locals are engaged in sausage making, cattle rearing and carpentry. The area is socially different from the rest of Fatorda constituency. We will protect the area and protect Goemkarponn,” he added.