MARGAO: While refuting charges levelled against him by Churchill Alemao, Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva has agreed that the BJP Government has helped Raheja’s project in Carmona by bending rules. He has also pledged his support to the people of Carmona in their fight against the BJP government.
Caitu made this admission while responding to queries from media persons on Saturday. Earlier, he refuted Alemao’s allegations of favouring the Raheja project and countered that it was Alemao and Digambar Kamat who had favoured the project during their regime.
It was also revealed that during the Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s recent visit to Colva to launch the sewerage network, the CM had a closed-door meeting with a delegation of Carmona locals.
The Carmona Village Social Welfare Forum (CVSWF) pointed out to the CM that the government should not have entertained Raheja’s file in the first place as under Section 5 of the TCP Act 2010, group housing applies only for plots above 4,000 square metres and under 20,000 square metres, while the Raheja plot exceeds 20,000 square metres. It further alleged that this was just one of many anomalies, but it is enough reason why the file should not have been approved, and that this puts the government in the docks.
“If it is seen that the present government is helping Raheja’s in Carmona, then I will work against it and won’t hesitate to come onto the streets,” said Caitu.
When confronted with a change in TCP rules made by the present government to favour Raheja, he said, “If this is the case, then it looks like the Government is indeed helping Raheja. I won’t let it happen. I will stay will the people till the end and fight against the Government.”
Regarding Churchill’s allegations, Caitu claimed that Churchill and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat had amended the TCP Act during their tenure without the approval of the steering committee, Assembly or cabinet, just to favour Raheja.
Meanwhile, CWSF president Socorro Miranda has issued an open challenge to Parsekar, Deputy CM Francis D’Souza, Chief Town Planner S T Puttaraju and other authorities to come clear on whether they are supporting the villagers or Raheja.
“I challenge them to an open debate, where we will show what they and the other government has done,” said Miranda.
referring to the allegations that both governments had favoured Raheja. He added that Carmona residents would file a PIL on the 73rd and 74th Amendment and pledged to never allow the project to come up.
