PANAJI
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) meet turned stormy on Monday as the opposition as well as some corporators from the ruling raised questions over the proposal to settle the leaseholder in connection with Cine National land.
Similar debates also erupted over the proposal to construct a new CCP building, prompting CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate and the commissioner to defer the proposal for the next meeting.
Both proposals were deferred after corporators demanded special meetings to discuss the matter in detail.
The corporators demanded details of the settlement execution to be done with Rao & Co, the promoters of the Cine National to be placed before the meeting.
Corporator Joel Andrade pointed out that details on the lawyer’s legal opinion were not placed before the meeting. After the issue was raised, the legal opinion was circulated at the last half of the meeting.
"I am not willing to accept this proposal because it is heavily loaded in favour of Rao and against the CCP without any legal justification,” claimed Andrade.
Andrade also threatened to challenge the matter if CCP tried to pass the decision.
Corporators Uday Madkaikar and Surendra Furtado, as well as corporators from the ruling side Asmita Kerkar, Lorraiane Dias, Deputy Mayor Vasant Agashikar and Carolina Po sought more clarity on the proposal for a compromise formula.
Vasant Agashikar demanded an elaborate plan of settlement.
“What is the guarantee that the settlement plan will be acceptable to the promoter. Let the party agree to CCP’s proposal and then, a decision can be taken,” said Agashikar.
"We don't oppose the project proposal, but we want it done properly with legal sanctity, so that there is no legal problem in future," he added.
Agashikar also raised an issue about how the settlement of shop occupants in the present CCP building has to be made clear before taking any decision to reconstruct the new CCP building.
The issue of the Captain of Ports Jetty at the ferry point being handed over to casino operators was also discussed and it was decided to convey the sentiments to the Captain of Ports.
There was also a demand of corporators that the pay parking contractor should fulfil the demand to give passes to local residents, so that they don't have to pay for parking.
