While development takes place in most parts of the Porvorim constituency, Halliwada, a picturesque area of Penha de Franca, still lacks basic amenities.
Several fields exist here, but the farmers cannot cultivate them as they are filled with saline and sewage water. Even some of the wells have become polluted, rendering the water unfit for drinking. Despite the farmers’ pleas, the Penha de Franca Panchayat has done nothing about these issues.
Farmer Santosh Gaunekar stated that the farmers had complained various times at the gram sabhas, and had even submitted their grievances to the panchayat in writing – all in vain. He added, “The foundation stone for the improvement of the nullah near Santeri Temple was laid in 2014 at the hands of Minster for Water Resources Dayanand Mandrekar. But, the work has still not started. If the improvement of nullah was carried out, then the water would have stopped entering the fields.”
The Ekodi ‘Manas’ (sluice gates) have virtually become orphans as there is no farmers’ association to look after it, and the saline water from the Mandovi River continuously flows through it.
It is well-known fact that the Penha de Franca panchayat encourages illegal constructions. The Goa Cricket Academy is one such case where construction took place without obtaining any approval from the government, including the panchayat.
Now, multi-storey buildings have come up in Halliwada with the blessing of the panchayat. The villagers had vociferously raised this issue in the gram sabha on April 19, 2015. In this gram sabha, Gajendra Rataboli had mentioned that as per certain rules, 60 per cent FAR is permissible for the construction of buildings in Wards 1 to 4 of the panchayat. Two or three storeyed buildings could be built, but four-storeyed buildings had come up in Halliwada.
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte stated that no farmers from Halliwada had approached him with their problems so far. He understood that they weren’t carrying out any farming activities, and said it was pointless to raise their issues only at the gram sabha and keep quiet after that. If they were really interested in cultivating their fields, a solution could definitely be found.
Khaunte further stated, “The foundation stone for the improvement of the nullah at Santeri was laid with the intention of ensuring smooth flow of water. But, the contractor who was awarded the contract did not start the work citing reason that his earlier bills were not settled by government. In regard to ‘Ekodi Manas’ there is no Association of this manas on account of which the matter still hangs in the balance. It has been decided now to change the location of the manas elsewhere to avoid flooding of the area.”
In regard to the multi-storeyed buildings constructed at Halliwada, Khaunte stated that he was not aware of the same and reiterated that four-storeyed buildings could not be constructed there as per government rules. He added that it was the responsibility of the Town and Country Planning Department and the panchayat to ensure that no permission was granted to such buildings. If multi-storeyed building were constructed, the natural beauty of the village would be spoilt.
