TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: A meeting between Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and Curtorim Panchayat members on Thursday has favoured amicable solution to the vexed 85-room hotel project by calling a joint meeting between the people opposing the project and the Panchayat members.
The meeting convened by the Curtorim MLA was attended by Curtoirm acting Sarpanch Simon Barretto and other panch members Thursday morning in the office of the MLA. The meeting discussed threadbare the controversy surrounding the hotel project and to work out a amicable solution.
After the meeting, Reginaldo told Herald that it has been decided to hold a joint meeting between the panchayat and the group leading the ongoing agitation against the project. “We have decided to take a good decision by taking everyone into confidence, including the builder. We have already made correspondence to the TCP to withdraw the technical permissions and the panchayat will revoke the construction license no sooner the TCP withdraws the permissions,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said the group opposing the project will be asked to depute 15-20 members for discussions with the panchayat members.
Asked whether the panchayat will call a gram sabha to discuss the hotel project as demanded by the villagers, Reginaldo shot back saying, “We want to first discuss the pros and cons before the issue is placed before the gram sabha. We want to prepare the ground work first before the matter is taken to the gram sabha.”
When his attention was drawn to the agitation by the villagers firmly opposed to the hotel project, the MLA said he has made it categorically clear that he would stand by the people on the issue. “I have already said that we will do what the people want. There’s no question of ignoring the sentiments of the villagers,” he added.
Acting Curtorim Sarpanch Simon Barretto said the panchayat would revoke the construction license issued to the hotel project if the Town and Country Planning department withdraws the permissions granted to the project. “We have made it clear that if the TCP withdraws the technical clearances, the panchayat will follow suit and revoke the construction license,” he added.
