VASCO
The gram sabha at Quelossim on Sunday saw heated discussions over no development in the panchayat jurisdiction despite its bifurcation into an independent panchayat.
Another issue that rocked the gram sabha was that of the Mini India Park of mutation of land where the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) had laid pipelines.
Quelossim sarpanch Maria Souza openly said the village has seen no development and accused Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho of blocking it for opposing the Mini India Park Project.
“The gram sabha members are upset over the lack of development. I informed Godinho, but he said he will not help the panchayat because we opposed the Mini India project,” she said. Godinho said he will not approve any projects until we pass the MIPP, she added. “Since most of the works are not happening, we have managed to resolve issues pertaining to water supply through CSR activity,” the sarpanch stated.
“We have sent so many files, but most of them have come back and officials have given vague excuses like want of NOCs. We feel there is a deliberate attempt to block our development due to political pressure. The same type of files are being passed in other panchayats, but ours are being sent back,” she charged.
Social activist Lopinho Xavier said that GAIL Gas pipelines passes passed through the lands of farmers. “Earlier it had informed the people that they are not interested in the area or buying the land. But now the company has issued a notice for mutation of the land from where the pipeline is passing. We have resolved to oppose
the move because these are our farms and there has been no compensation offered to farmers. We have asked the panchayat to take legal advice on the issue and question the mamlatdar,” he said.
Xavier said the panchayat and biodiversity board along with MLA Alina Saldanha had opposed the Mini India project but the GCZMA has held a hearing only with MLA and we are finding this fishy. “The MLA has been made party to the hearing and the panchayat and biodiversity board has been kept out of the matter. Hence we have resolved in the gram sabha that the panchayat must file an intervention petition at the earliest,” he said.
