Agonda sabha members want notified RP-2021 withdrawn
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, JAN 10
The few members who turned up at the special Agonda gram sabha on Monday strongly demanded the withdrawal of the notified Regional Plan 2021 for the village and also called for its replacement with the draft plan submitted by the villagers.
It may be recalled that Agonda panel, which had all panchas along with the sarpanch and some gram sabha-appointed experts on the local level RP-2021 committee, refused to accept the notified RP 2021, as it is not in conformity with the draft plan submitted by the villagers for notification.
According to Sarpanch Milagrinha Fernandes, the special gram sabha endorsed the panel’s views and accordingly decided to lodge a strong protest with the government in demanding notification of only villagers sanctified Regional Plan 2021 for Agonda village.
Few members present on the occasion raised queries as to why so many gram sabhas and special sittings of the local experts were gone through, if government was not interested to find favour with people’s proposals, members participated, deliberated RP 2021 for their concerned areas.
Holding high hopes on government’s submission of pre-draft RP 2021 for locals’ scrutiny, initially inter-ward committees were appointed and convened various meetings as to what is required in their areas, after which necessary changes/proposals of ward levels were deliberated and incorporated at village level expert committee chaired by sarpanch.
“Members at the gram sabha on Monday felt that government should show some respect for people’ sentiments,” said the sarpanch.
“The government should have notified the gram sabha-accepted and panchayat-approved RP 2021 instead having its own dictates imposed on the residents through RP 2021,” felt Fernandes.
In a press note issued after the gram sabha, Agonda Panchayat has again reiterated its demand not to accept RP 2021 for Agonda, as gram sabha members ruled against its acceptance and members demanded with the government to notify the plan submitted by the panchayat.
The members, who were present, also criticised the government for not submitting the final draft plan for the villagers or panchayat scrutiny and instead went ahead ignoring all the changes suggested by the locals, changed technically non-feasible sites and approved RP 2021 full of errors for the Agonda.
Members were critical that in the notified RP 2021 for Agonda, several settlement zones have been cancelled, changed and un-tangible sites are proposed, location of garbage site already at final stages of acquisition is altered, panchayat status itself tempered on, etc, among several other discrepancies.
