the goan I network
MARGAO
Opposition to government’s move to acquire land for housing projects in Salcete villages fell flat on Sunday as the gram sabhas in one voice resolved to reject the housing projects in their villages on Sunday.
The gram sabhas of Chinchinim, Nuvem and Sarzora, which deliberated on the government funded housing projects, adopted resolutions to oppose the government move to scout for land in their respective villages to implement the Prime Minister Housing scheme.
The gram sabha of Dramapur-Sirlim village had opposed the housing scheme in their village jurisdiction on last Sunday.
At Chinchinim, the gram sabha chaired by deputy Sarpanch Valentino Barretto, saw members coming for the meeting with banners opposing the project, with one banner stating that the villagers do not want a Moti Dongor in Chinchinim.
After discussions, the gram sabha in one voice unanimously rejected the housing board project or any such group housing project in Chinchinim village. The gram sabha made it unequivocally clear that the villagers further resolve to maintain the demography of the Chinchinim-Deussua village for posterity.
The gram sabha has further resolved that the Panchayat should initiate action against all illegal group housing/illegal plot, promoting group housing/chawls/slums. While urging the panchayat to take this resolution, the gram sabha made it clear that by no means these structures should be regularized.
At Nuvem, the issue was debated after it was brought to the notice of the gram sabha by member Zarinha Da Cunha, who contended that the Housing Board has proposed to acquire land in Nuvem village. After much discussion, a resolution proposed by Jose Roque Andrade was unanimously passed to demand scrapping of the proposal for acquisition of land for the housing Board in the jurisdcition of village panchayat of Nuvem.
Sarzora Sarpanch Sabita Mascarenhas, who chaired the gram sabha meeting on Sunday, said the gram sabha opposed any move to acquire land either in Sarzora panchayat area jurisdiction or in the jurisdiction of neighbouring Dramapur-Sirlim panchayat for the proposed government’s housing board project. “We are deeply concerned over the government’s move to acquire land for the housing board in Dramapur village on the border of Sarzora. We have opposed the project tooth and nail”, Sabita said.
The govt’s project had come under the scanner of village activists after the govt wrote a letter to the Salcete Mamlatdar to scout for land in Dramapur-Sirlim, Chinchinim-Deussua, Cuncolim, Nuvem and other villages for PM’s Housing scheme.
While Cuncolim was the first village to oppose the plan to build 2600 apartments near the Cuncolim Industrial estate under the PM’s scheme, Dramapur followed suit by rejecting the housing scheme at the last gram sabha.
