MARGAO: The fight over the construction of the Western Bypass on stilts in Benaulim continues, as the village panchayat resolved to file a writ petition before the High Court following the withdrawal of the civil application on the matter. The decision came to light during the gram sabha held by the panchayat on Sunday.

At the meeting, one of the members proposed the erection of a statue in honour of Dr Jack Sequeira at the Benaulim junction. Dr Jack Sequeira’s contribution as the father of the opinion poll is esteemed, and the Gram sabha showed its support for commemorating his legacy through the proposed statue.

Although, the government has already rejected the proposal to build the Western Bypass on stilts at Benaulim, questions were raised during the gram sabha about the case filed before the High Court. After careful consideration and legal advice, the panchayat informed the villagers that the civil application was withdrawn, but a writ petition will be filed shortly before the High Court to address the matter.

However, some members expressed frustration, alleging that the panchayat body bypassed the special committee formed to advocate for the Western Bypass issue.

Another point of concern raised during the meeting was related to the expenditure of Rs 37 lakh for the construction of a material recovery facility (MRF) shed by the panchayat.

Villagers questioned the hefty expenditure, claiming that other panchayats, including those in neighbouring States, managed to build similar sheds at a significantly lower cost.

Cruz Fernandes, who moved a proposal on the issue, was unsatisfied with the response from the panchayat body and was directed to file an RTI application to obtain more details. Various other topics, including the health centre and hoardings, were also discussed during the Gram sabha.