Residents allege destruction of sand dune
A JCB machine moves out of the hotel project site after Monday’s uproar.
MARGAO
Varca village witnessed an uproar after residents of Pedda cried foul over the presence of JCB machinery inside the hotel project site on Monday.
The residents, led by social activist Sohail Furtado and Warren Alemao, later called on the Varca Sarpanch Flavia Barretto with a plea to stop the work, saying the JCB had entered the property hosting sand dunes in the CRZ area. Panchayat member, Salesiana Fernandes, representing the Pedda ward, also joined the residents during discussions with the Sarpanch.
What seemed to have agitated the residents is that work had commenced at the hotel project site while there had been no action forthcoming from the Panchayat body and authorities such as the Town and Country Planning Department and the District Collector.
Sohail pointed out that work on the hotel project is illegal on the grounds that the proponents are undertaking commercial construction based on a sanad issued for a residential project. He further claimed that though the hotel project will cover two plots, the proponents are yet to get the plots amalgamated to date. “There may be many other irregularities. There are sand dunes in the property in question. Since the JCB has entered the project site, the authorities should inspect and find out the extent of work carried out inside the project site. Till date, the hotel project proponent has not even installed a board at the site about the nature of the project,” he added.
Sohail said the Panchayat should revoke the construction licence issued for the hotel project by citing these irregularities.
Warren Alemao requested the Sarpanch to hold a joint inspection of the hotel project site to find out the irregularities. He said the Panchayat should invite officials of the Water Resources Department, TCP, Goa State Pollution Control Board, CRZ, besides the hotel proponents, for the joint inspection.
Ward member Salesiana Fernandes said the construction licence was issued for the project much before she assumed office as Sarpanch in 2022. She said the Panchayat will certainly take a stand and revoke the licence if any illegalities are brought to light.
Panchayat issues stop-work notice
MARGAO: The Varca Village Panchayat on Monday issued a stop-work notice to the hotel proponent in view of the complaint received from the villagers.
In the stop-work notice, Sarpanch Flavia Barretto directed the hotel proponent to immediately stop the ongoing work under Section 64(J) of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 on receipt of the notice.
The Sarpanch has told the proponent to produce legal/relevant documents such as approved plans and licence, if any, for the construction activities within a period of seven days, failing which the Panchayat has threatened to take further necessary action as per rules in force.
“This is to bring to your notice that this Panchayat has received a complaint from villagers of Varca, stating irregularities and illegalities with the construction activity in Varca Pedda Dunnottem,” the Sarpanch stated.
Earlier in the day, the Sarpanch explained that the hotel proponent had come to the Panchayat with the file on August 31, 2020 and the file was inwarded on November 4, 2020.
She said though the site inspection was fixed on November 27, 2020, when Reginaldo was the Sarpanch, the same was cancelled. “The site inspection was later held on February 15, 2021 when the Panchayat was headed by Sarpanch Charlton. The construction licence was issued on February 22, 2021. The present body has only renewed the construction licence on October 5, 2024,” the Sarpanch added.
