MAPUSA
A Town and Country Planning (TCP) official found himself at the centre of a tense confrontation on Tuesday after he allegedly failed to answer a barrage of questions from agitated villagers and elected representatives during a High Court-directed inspection of the controversial proposed culvert at Mazal-vaddo, Assagao.
As large number of residents gathered at the site to oppose the project, TCP draftsman Vivek Mayekar, who was conducting the inspection, measured the proposed culvert location and then attempted to leave, triggering strong protests from villagers who demanded answers on the basis and legality of the proposed construction.
The situation became more charged when local MLA Delilah Lobo and St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar joined the residents in questioning the official over the department's decision to proceed with a culvert at what villagers described as an environmentally sensitive location where at least four natural nullahs converge.
According to residents, instead of responding to their concerns, the TCP official declined to offer any clarification and continued to move away from the site despite repeated requests from villagers, the two MLAs, Assagao Sarpanch Hanumant Naik and panchayat members to explain the department's stand.
The elected representatives sought to know on what technical basis the TCP department was proposing the culvert and whether mandatory permissions and clearances from all the concerned government departments had been obtained before initiating the process.
The proposed culvert has remained a contentious issue in Assagao for several years.
The dispute arose after a builder who purchased a landlocked property in the area sought to construct a culvert to gain access to the plot.
However, the Assagao Village Panchayat had refused permission, citing the ecological sensitivity of the site.
Panchayat authorities and local residents have consistently maintained that the location serves as a confluence for four natural drainage channels and that constructing a culvert could obstruct the free flow of rainwater during the monsoon, increasing the risk of flooding and causing irreversible environmental damage.
The matter subsequently reached the High Court, where it remained pending for nearly two years. In a recent order, the court directed the TCP department to conduct a site inspection and submit a technical report on the feasibility of the proposed culvert.
Following the incident, villagers announced that they, along with the local MLA Delilah Lobo and the panchayat members would meet the Deputy Town Planner on Wednesday to seek answers on the proposed project and demand greater transparency in the department's decision-making process.
