MARGAO
Who is this Block Development Officer Adarsh Desai? Can the BDO dictate terms to the village Panchayat when the body has resolved not to issue licence to the housing project? And, what is the use of the constitutional body such as Panchayat if powers on issuance of construction licence are usurped by the BDO?
These and other questions rent the air at the special meeting convened by the Navelim Village Panchayat on Monday morning to specifically discuss the housing project issue.
Sarpanch Paul Pereira had called for the special meeting against the backdrop of the office memorandum issued by the Salcete Block Development Officer Adarsh Desai with a direction to the Panchayat secretary to issue construction licence to the project.
Mid-way through the discussions at the special meeting, whey they were briefed about the BDO’s memorandum issued to the Secretary to issue the licence, the residents demanded to know whether the BDO can dictate terms to the Panchayat and the Secretary to issue the construction licence for the project.
In fact, an agitated resident demanded that the panchayat invite the BDO to the panchayat meeting and face the residents opposing the project in their backyard.
“When the local residents and the Panchayat had rejected the construction licence, how can the BDO dictate terms to the panchayat. He should be summoned to the Panchayat and clarify his stand before the residents”, demanded another resident.
A local resident Herald told the Sarpanch and the panchayat members that the residents are strongly opposed to the housing project on ground that the 6-metre road in question does not exist on the ground and the area is low-lying. “How can the Panchayat grant the construction licence when the six-metre road does not exist on the ground”, he demanded to know. He slammed the Town and Country Planning department for granting Technical Clearance for the project on the proposed six-metre road.
