MARGAO
The issue of rampant land conversion in certain pockets of the village dominated the gram sabha of the village Panchayat of Nuvem on Sunday.
At the gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Freda D’Sa, members adopted a resolution opposing any development that involves hill cutting, mega housing and plot making in the village.
The gram sabha resolution was proposed by Pausilipo Dourado and seconded by almost all the gram sabha members. Dourado claimed that large chunk of land has been illegally converted in a No Development Zone.
Gram sabha member Jose Roque Andrade said that people are taking advantage of the farm house clause to further illegalities. He mentioned that once all avenues of zone changes have been exhausted, people are using the farmhouse clause, as he proposed not to give any permission for farm houses at the peak of hills and low- lying agriculture land. “Some people are constructing farm houses, when they cannot get permission to construct the residential house as land conversion is required. Then the same farm house is used for residential purpose or eco tourisms purpose and not for farming purpose. He cited an example of a farm house at Gounlloy. On the western side of the farm house, there are 56 plots and bungalows constructed, which are approved by TCP and Panchayat with sanad. After some years, there are high chances for a Wayanad situation at Gounlloy, where all constructions and land may reach Rumder Tollem”, he cautioned.
Pausilipio Dourado also brought up the issue of migrants living in a factory, saying it has become dangerous for girls and ladies to walk home late in the evening.
Member Zarina D’Cunha supported Pausilipio Dourado and Jose Roque Andrade by pointing out that she had brought up the issue of conversions around a decade ago.
She said it is both amazing and shameful that such land conversions/zone changes are made based on the pretext of 17(2) and 39A saying this is an error in the regional plan. She wondered how land admeasuring 49,500 sq/mts land was marked wrongly in regional plan in Nuvem, which was pointed out in last gram sahba by Jose Roque Andrade.
