PONDA: The Usgao-Ganjem gram sabha has opposed the proposed expansion of the MRF plant in the village on the grounds of pollution. Ponda police also had to rush to the meeting hall after two groups got into a heated argument over allegations against a former sarpanch.
On the MRF issue, the gram sabha members claimed that the company had not controlled the pollution caused by its existing project and that the expansion would lead to more pollution, besides felling of 700 coconut trees on agricultural land.
They later passed a resolution to file a petition with the GSPCB against MRF and to appoint an advocate to fight the matter in court if the need arises. The locals were also irked that the many companies in the panchayat’s jurisdiction, including MRF, were not following the village’s rule of providing 80 percent jobs to Goans, who had to put up with pollution for many years.
Replying to a written query from a villager, Sarpanch Tulshidas Prabu said that the panchayat had not issued NOCs for water and electricity connections for illegal constructions. Many development works were also discussed.
The gram sabha was stalled for over half-an-hour after supporters of a former sarpanch objected to some villagers’ demands for action against him on the ground that he had allotted house numbers to illegal structures. They termed the allegations as baseless and demanded proof of the alleged irregularities. Police rushed to the spot to control the situation. The sarpanch calmed the villagers by stating that the panchayat had not received any complaint against the former sarpanch nor had irregularities taken place while allotting house numbers.
