Herald: As a MLA of St Cruz what will be your role over the crucial issue of inclusion of some portion of your village in recently constituted Greater Panjim Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA)?
ANTONIO FERNANDES: What stand I have to take, I have already taken, I have resigned as a member of the GPPDA the moment people started agitating. When people of the village don’t want it then it cannot be imposed on them. I will be with the villagers keeping politics apart.
Herald: Minister for TCP has said on the floor of the house that you came under influence of mob.
ANTONIO: I am the MLA of St Cruz constituency, though I am a first time MLA, I have fair knowledge of what is good and bad. Who are the protesters? They are my villagers, they have studied the matter and placed it before me. I personally also made my individual study and came to conclusion that if people don’t want it than it cannot be imposed.
Herald: You had said that consent given by you for GPPDA for the development of the village, do you think that village has any benefits of it?
ANTONIO: My conscience was very clear, it was in the interest of village I had given the consent but I withdrew it once villagers opposed the inclusion of villages in GPPDA. I have seen for last 30 years there was no development in St Cruz and I thought the GPPDA would help. But people of village who have studied the pro’s and con’s of PDA decided to oppose. This means, the PDA is not in the interest of the people of village.
Herald: Is the demand of villagers is genuine to de-notify portion of village from GPPDA?
ANTONIO: See, the main apprehension of the people is about the high rise building that may come after conversion of the land and there will be complete disaster of the village and nature. Minister has said the eco-sensitive areas will be made ‘No Development Zone’, but if so why those areas has to be included in the GPPDA.
Herald: Do you think that the issue of the GPPDA is quite serious and is a matter of concern?
ANTONIO: Definitely, if the high rise buildings come then population is going to increase. The present infrastructure of the village cannot take the existing load. There is a shortage of water, issues with the roads, market etc. The electricity supply is fluctuating every time. People have a point for protest and fight for the cause. I feel Government should not do anything without taking people into confidence.
