Team Herald
MARGAO: Sao Jose de Areal locals on Monday gheraoed sarpanch and panch members demanding to revoke all construction licences and provisional approvals given to Survey No 18/1 for construction of compound wall, roads and drains for the purpose of development of plots.
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Bowing down to the pressure, the village panchayat assured to revoke the licences till further inspection is conducted.
Under leadership of Tennyson Paul Fernandes and others, nearly 50 locals marched towards the panchayat office of Sao Jose de Areal and charged the panchayat members for granting the licences without doing proper study on the matter.
The locals demanded to revoke all the licences given to the said survey number at the earliest. They questioned the panchayat body over illegal development.
The locals alleged that the water pipeline has been damaged by the builder and he has encroached over the PWD water pipeline. The panch member has assured to shift the existing water pipeline.
Speaking to the media persons, Tennyson said they have demanded with the sarpanch to revoke the licences given till proper study is done by taking into consideration the ground reality.
“The land is shown as partly industrial and partly Settlement Zone in Regional Plan 2021. The RP 2001 showed this entire land as an industrial zone. A large part of this land has been changed to a Settlement Zone without any requirement being indicated in the draft RP 2021. Right to Information replies from the Town and Country Planning office reveal that this change in zone has been done without any request,” said Tennyson.
He also informed that there exists a large dilapidated shed in the industrial zone of the land. The rest of the land remains an agricultural land that is presently used for grazing or is left as uncultivated fields.
“This entire patch of land bearing Survey No 18/1 of Sao Jose de Areal village is actually a large stretch of paddy field which was cultivated by the local farmers for centuries. The farmers grew paddy, ragi, ladyfingers and other crops throughout the year on this land. However, the local farmers, who were indigent and illiterate, never held titles for these lands and the lands were recorded in the names of some landlords,” he stated.
He said the gram sabha of Sao Jose de Areal has repeatedly said that no further real estate projects and sub-division of plots shall be allowed in the village due to the several reasons put forth by the villagers.
“Sarpanch Minguel has assured the villagers that licences will be revoked until further inspection is conducted,” Tennyson added.
