MARGAO: Amidst opposition from Loliem residents regarding the proposed Film City Project, environmentalists have presented a memorandum to the recently elected village Sarpanch Nisha Chari. They urged the panchayat not to consider any developmental plans for the Bhagwati plateau, the intended site for the project.
After delivering the memorandum to the Sarpanch, Manoj Prabhugaonkar said he had done so as the procedures for setting up the Film City in the village and on the Bhagwati plateau, have already begun with the departments concerned. He highlighted concerns about extensive preparations being made without gauging the sentiments of the villagers and residents. He demanded that all such procedures be stopped immediately and said that the film city project is not required in the village.
Chari however stated that the panchayat had not received any correspondence on the film city project that is being proposed by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG).
She also brushed aside rumours that the project would come up, at the panchayat meeting, and reiterated that they have not received unofficial communication so far, thus the question of it being taken up at a meeting did not arise in the first place.
Panchayat Secretary Sandeep Dessai also confirmed that the panchayat did not receive any communication from the authorities regarding the Film City Project.
He also added that they had not discussed or taken any decision regarding the issue at their panchayat meetings.
It maybe recalled that the Loliem residents, led by Dattaprasad Prabhugaonkar, have penned letters to the Goa Governor, Chief Secretary, Administrator of Communidades (South), South Goa Additional Director of Panchayats and Loliem Sarpanch & Secretary, appealing for the rejection of Loliem Communidade’s decision to allocate 250 acres in the village for a ‘Film City’.
They assert that the resolution, passed in the General Body meeting in October,is illegal, and advocate for its nullification.