the goan I network
PORVORIM
Socorro Sarpanch Sandeep Vazarkar has refuted allegations by Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte that the Socorro panchayat had been trying to create communal tension in connection with the construction of a Cross in the village.
Addressing a news conference in the Socorro panchayat office, Socorro Sarpanch Sandeep Vazarkar said the issue could be traced back to 2015, when a resolution was adopted in the gram sabha to widen the road near Joswado/Kharrem.
“In 2017, the Socorro panchayat adopted a resolution about widening the road and as per directions of former minister and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, the panchayat obtained NOC from locals.”
“The panchayat also applied to Town and Country Planning department seeking permission for hill cutting activity. The TCP issued the NOC on February 14, 2018 for the hill cutting activity to widen the road,” said Vazarkar.
The sarpanch said an engineering company as part of its corporate social responsibility had approached the panchayat to take the mud and the panchayat had issued the NOC to the engineering company.
“The hill cutting work began and there was a Cross in this property. The contractor was advised to shift the Cross after lifting the mud. Since this Cross was not shifted, some locals of Joswado and Kharrem stepped in and started the work to shift the Cross.”
“The property owner, Vithu Nagvekar, filed a complaint with the Porvorim police on February 11 against Santana D’Souza in this regard. On receipt of a letter from the Porvorim police station, the Socorro panchayat asked both Santana D’Souza and Vithu Nagvekar to be present in the panchayat office on March 6.
“During the meeting, Nagvekar agreed to gift an area of 25 sq metres around the Cross to the panchayat and requested the panchayat to send him letter in this regard,” said the sarpanch.
“The matter was resolved, but instead of verifying the facts with the panchayat, Khaunte convened a news conference on Friday and alleged that the panchayat was trying to create communal tension by issuing notices to the construction of Cross. This is totally false.”
The Socorro sarpanch claimed that since the panchayat has sidetracked the local MLA, he was trying to tarnish the image of the sarpanch and the panchayat with false allegations.
Panch members Dittosa Lobo, Shital Arolkar, Deepali Satardekar and Sandeep Manjrekar were also present at the news conference.
