PORVORIM: The Saligao gram sabha, on Sunday, unanimously passed a resolution to demand that the Regional Plan 2021 (RP21) be denotified and the Investment Promotion board be scrapped immediately.
Diogo Fernandes stated that in the RP21 notified by the government, there was no proper zoning and mapping of private and government forests, and agricultural land and fields. Further, the width of the village roads had been increased to 10-25 meters to suit builders. Hence, Fernandes added, the RP21 was of no use to the villagers and it should be denotified immediately.
After discussions, the gram sabha unanimously resolved to demand denotification of the plan.
Fernandes also stated that the Investment Promotion Board constituted by the State government does not offer powers to the panchayat as well as some government departments, and hence, it should be scrapped. A resolution to this effect was then adopted unanimously by the gram sabha.
When the villagers sought to know the rent due from the shops owned by the panchayat, Sarpanch Eknath Oraskar replied that most of the rent due was from the Electricity Department (Rs 18,000), sub health centre (Rs 42, 000), a tailoring shop (Rs 67,000) and a pharmacy (Rs 2,000). However, these premises are presently in litigation.
Oraskar added, “The panchayat has started dialogue with the shop owners to arrive at an amicable settlement.”
Oraskar also informed the gram sabha that they had to constitute a village development committee of 10 members. This committee will receive annual grants of Rs 20 lakh from the State government as part of a new scheme to undertake minor developmental works in the village.
Accordingly, a village development committee consisting of a member from each ward was constituted.
Other issues discussed at the meeting included the tarring of roads, garbage collection, upgrading transformers, and cleaning drains.
