VASCO: The vital issues of the Regional Plan 2021, primary health centre (PHC), road over-bridge, proposed starred hotel at Arossim beach, and bypass road behind the cemetery dominated the discussions at the Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim (CAC) gram sabha on Sunday.
RDA and Science and Technology Minister Alina Saldanha was present for the three-hour meeting.
On the RP issue, she stated that she is aware of the suggestions and corrections drafted by the village level committee along with her late husband Matanhy Saldanha, and that the same had been forwarded to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) minister and officials. She added the RP will be displayed in the panchayat for 10 days and requested the panchayat to convene a special gram sabha to discuss it and revert to the government with suggestions and corrections.
Deputy Sarpanch Jose Marie Furtado raised the issue of the primary health centre and demanded that the government tender an apology for demolishing the same and not taking up the construction of a new PHC.
To this, Saldanha said that she has been following up the matter with the TCP authorities, the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) and the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) daily. She stated that the work had been delayed due to paucity of funds, lack of TCP permissions, and change in the contractor as a result of bureaucratic delays. However, she added that the DHS has now agreed to pay the infrastructure tax, and the construction work would start soon.
Raising the issue of the road over-bridge (ROB) at level crossing 25, Cansaulim resident Thomas Fermandes said that the villagers had an alternative plan for the the ROB.
Saldanha informed that she had received the plan from the CAC civic and consumer forum and the same had been forwarded it to the GSIDC. She emphasised that she does not want to hurt the land owners and care will be taken to minimise the damage to the land.
Regarding the starred hotel proposed by Competent Automobiles on the eco-fragile Arossim beach, the eight CAC panchas were asked whether they support the hotel or not. All eight said they would fight the hotel proponents tooth and nail.
The proposal of panch Savio Dias for a bypass road behind the St Thomas cemetery was put to vote, and majority of the gram sabha felt that there was no need for the road.
