Infrastructure first, then occupancy certificates: Benaulim gram sabha
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MAY 2
Benaulim villagers on Sunday demanded a total stop on issuance of construction licenses for mega housing projects and demanded that the panchayat keeps on hold occupancy certificates till the infrastructure requirements are put in place.
At the Sunday gram sabha which witnessed noisy scenes over the absence of majority of elected panch members at the meeting, the members blamed the Panchayat for their lack of sincerity in putting a stop to mega housing projects.
The members pointed out that the villagers are made to suffer for want of basic infrastructure such as water and power supply, while the Panchayat body clears construction projects without taking the infrastructure requirements into account.
After much discussion, the gram sabha passed a resolution demanding that the Panchayat body stop issuing licenses for mega housing projects and keeps on abeyance issuance of occupancy certificates for projects underway.
Deputy Sarpanch Stanley Fernandes, who chaired the meeting in the absence of the Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes, supported the views of the gram sabha members by saying Benaulim villages lacks basic infrastructure and garbage disposal facility.
He said the fields and rivers are polluted as there is no garbage disposal mechanism, while the village is facing water scarcity for want of infrastructure.
On the garbage disposal site, the gram sabha members demanded that the Panch members shortlist 2-3 sites in their respective wards and called for a special gram sabha meeting for the selection of garbage disposal sites.
Stanley said the gram sabha members were furious over the absence of majority of the Panchayat members at today’s meeting. He said the members were particularly sore that they cannot get any replies to their queries relating to ward problems for want of the ward members at the meeting.
On illegal hoardings, the deputy Sarpanch said the Panchayat will soon crack a whip against hoardings that have come up illegal along road sides.
Gram sabha member Geraldine Fernandes bitterly complained over the absence of the Sarpanch Carmelina for today’s meeting, demanding to know her presence at a sports event when she is on medical leave.
She said the village has badly suffered on the development front, with the Panchayat body even pursuing the proposal of land acquisition to set up a Primary Health centre near the Panchayat ghar.
On the garbage disposal site, Geraldine said the Panch members are trying to push the ball in the court of the gram sabha when the elected representatives ought to have short listed the sites in their respective wards.
She lamented that the resolutions adopted at gram sabha meetings over the last two years and half have not been implemented by the Panchayat body. “The villagers are interested in the protection of their village, but till date not one resolution has been adhered to by the Panchayat”, she lamented.
Saying that the carrying capacity of the village is overloaded for want of infrastructure, she demanded that the Panchayat immediately stop the multi-dwelling units unless and until the village receives regular water and power supply.
“At today’s meeting, we have passed a resolution to stop all construction licenses till proper garbage disposal site is identified and the infrastructure is put in place”, she said.
