VASCO
The issue of open air dance hall on the banks of Ambalur Lake rocked the gram sabha meeting of Verna panchayat on Sunday morning.
Another major issue that came up for discussion was that of a piece of land in Verna for opening a plant nursery. Villagers protested against the NOC for the nursery by claiming the land had no access. Villagers also alleged that some documents in their possession showed that the land in question was proposed to be a storage for explosives.
Sarpanch Tony D’Costa, however, said that the panchaya would have yet another inspection of the plot on February 20 along with Verna Comunidade members and the complainants.
Villagers had earlier alleged that there were plans of construction in the orchard land on the hilltop with no access road. The sarpanch maintained that NOC was only granted for a nursery and not construction activity.
D’Costa said that upon a complaint by a villager, the panchayat had earlier inspected the area but the complainant failed to reach the site during the inspection. He said attempts made to contact the complainant didn’t yield any results and subsequently the NOC was granted.
Villagers demanded that the panchayat must suo motu act against illegalities without waiting for complains from citizens.
Noisy scenes were witnessed when the issue of open air hall at Ambalur Lake was not taken up at the gram sabha despite a request made in advance by the villagers.
Villagers were reportedly informed by the panchayat that the matter could not be taken up as the matter was sub-judice and that they had directives from Department of Panchayat not to discuss issues that were sub-judice.
Even as angry villagers demanded that the issue be taken up, the sarpanch appealed for peace and not get influenced by some people who had begun creating a rift amongst villagers. He appealed further to the villagers to take up issues pertaining to development of the village.
Speaking to the media, activist Judith Rebello alleged that the open air hall had some issues pertaining to documentation.
“I am fighting the issue against the open air hall at various levels for the last six months. We have a letter to prove that every document was illegal. We had inwarded the written request on February 11 to take up the matter at the gram sabha, but the panchayat did not pay heed. We are going to protest against this,” Rebello said.
Activist Baylon Sequeira Vaz said that the people were with the panchayat, but against any illegality.
“We have a hill-cutting issue that is yet to be solved and a bio-diversity committee that is yet to be put in place. We are with the panchayat but when we work together, we have to keep the illegality out, and only then we can go ahead. We will bring any illegality to the notice of the panchayat. The panchayat must act before the citizens complain,” Vaz said.
