Team Herald
VASCO: The issue of provisional NOC issued by the panchayat to Mini India Park project, pending decision on bifurcation of Cortalim- Quelossim panchayat, site for garbage disposal besides hosts of other issues of the village dominated the Sunday gram sabha of the Cortalim-Quelossim Panchayat.
The meeting chaired by Sarpanch Hilario Figueiredo witnessed heated debate and confrontation between the gram sabha members, Panchayat body and RDA Minister and Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha over the issue of ‘Mini India Park’ project proposed at Quelossim village.
The Gram Sabha members sought explanations from the Panchayat body as to why the Panchayat gave its NoC for the project that was opposed by them in past. To this Sarpanch Hilario Figuereido clarified that the Mini India Park project has all the necessary permission and moreover the project has been passed by the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) and on the basis of IPB permission, Panchayat had to issue provisional NoC.
Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha who was present for the Gram Sabha also accused Sarpanch Figuereido and Panchayat body for giving NOC for the project. To this Figuereido reminded Alina that she being part of government did not oppose the project at her level even during the time when she was holding Forest and Environment portfolio, however after IPB cleared the project, she has been accusing the Panchayat. The issue was discussed for over one hour with a group of villagers and Alina repeatedly accusing the Panchayat body till the end of Gram Sabha.
The gram Sabha members also raised the issue of pending bifurcation of Cortalim-Quelossim Panchayat and sought to know the status of case. To this Sarpanch informed that the file pertaining to the proposal of bifurcation is pending before the government awaiting final response. The villagers also raised the issue of garbage disposal site and asked the Panchayat to expedite the process of acquiring communidade land that the communidade body has agreed to give to the Panchayat. Several other issues were also discussed at the Gram Sabha meeting.
