Team Herald
MAPUSA: Calangute locals have filed a writ petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against PWD’s huge overhead tank project which is under construction in a parking lot near the beach. They have requested the Tribunal to direct the concerned authorities to stop the project work and conduct in-depth study through a planning expert taking into consideration the transport and traffic congestion, proximity to residential houses and safety issues.
The locals have urged the Tribunal to direct the authorities to shift the project to its original location as such a public utility very close to commercial and residential houses may put their lives in danger in times of natural calamities.
The project work which commenced four months ago has been currently stopped as the panchayat has not issued an NOC. People of Umtawado have approached various authorities to get this project shifted to another location but all their requests have fallen flat.
According to sources, this particular project was originally proposed in a field near the St Alex Church, which is a comunidade land following NOCs from the concerned departments. The foundation stone for this project was laid on this comunidade land on Survey Num 476/8 years back but shifting the project from its original place near the beach has witnessed opposition from the locals as they are not happy with the present location as it is a commercial and residential area. The project is in a parking lot near Calangute beach and the traffic congestion has increased. The locals claim that around 70 percent parking space has been reduced. The tank is being built at a height of 10 mts on the area of 416 sq mts at Umtawado, which is a parking lot for buses and cars, has blocked the main exit point from the beach to main road.
Guesthouse and restaurants owners fear that it will affect their livelihood.
