Team Herald
MARGAO: Carmona Gram Sabha on Sunday decided to file a writ petition before the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court to resolve the vexing issue of who has jurisdiction over Zalor Beach besides also questioning the fencing erected by West Coast Hotels blocking the access to the beach.
Sarpanch Allwyn Jorge informed the villagers that Zalor is a ward of Carmona village and is shown on official notification of 1996. Besides, the old cadastral plans show Arabian Sea to be the western boundary of the village.
He also pointed out that Carmona village is collecting revenue from Survey Nos 123, 124 and 124 which have erroneously been shown as part of Varca village as per the Form I and XIV and asserted that people living in those areas are from Carmona.
He also pointed out that the villagers stopped pre-fabricated police outpost at the beach as the NOC from the panchayat was not obtained. Besides, the villagers had recently prevented two pre-fabricated toilets with changing rooms being erected on the beach for not obtaining NOC from the panchayat.
Villagers also pointed out that there was no response absolutely from the Varca Panchayat when Carmona Panchayat issued NOC to obtain electricity connection for a security cabin in the area. Hence the villagers decided to form a committee to prepare the writ petition to be filed before the High Court.
The villagers also raised the issue of the barbed wire fencing erected by West Coast Hotels which is blocking their traditional access to the beach. The sarpanch informed that the inspection would be held next week as last week the owners of the land expressed their inability to be present for an inspection.
While it was pointed out that a resolution adopted in 2009 for water conservation has not been implemented as yet and the prime minister is now asking for water conservation, it was decided to write to the Water Resources Department to desilt all the ponds, nullahs and other water bodies in the village besides acting against the encroachments made by individuals on these areas.
The panchayat was asked to issue notices to all those who had erected signboards without taking permission in a bid to not only keep a check on signboards sprouting in the village but also increase its revenue.
The sarpanch thanked Power Minister Nilesh Cabral for permitting payment of electricity bills at the panchayat office for the convenience of the public and pointed out that Carmona is the first village to be given this facility.
