the goan I network
MARGAO
The inspection was carried out following a claim made by Raia villagers that the approach road to the karbastan site is constructed in the property falling in Raia village.
Former Raia Sarpnach and panch member Xavier Fernandes said the Raia gram sabha as well as the panchayat meeting had strongly demanded demarcation of the boundaries of Raia and Margao to ensure that the kabrastan nor the approach road is constructed within the boundaries of Raia village.
Xavier also raised the question of the steep gradient of the Sonsodo site acquired for the proposed kabrastan, demanding to know how the town and country planning authorities and the SGPDA can give permissions for hill cutting for land with a steep gradient. “We will also raise the issue with the SGPDA how permissions, if any,
were given for the hill cutting,” he asserted.
President of Margao Comunidade Celestin Noronha said the Comunidade did raise objections to the acquisition of the part land admeasuring 14,000 square meters for the proposed kabrastan, but added that the objection was rejected by the land acquisition office.
Activist Felix Dias wondered how Comunidade and private land were acquired by the government
when it belongs to the local people. He also sought to know how the planning authorities can give permission for hill-cutting of the land with a steep gradient.
