MARGAO: The Carmona Village Social Welfare Forum (CVSWF) has issued a ten-day ultimatum to the government to revoke the technical clearances granted to Raheja, failing which the forum will take to the streets in protest. CVSWF has also demanded the dissolution of the panchayat body and fresh elections for the remainder of the term.
Speaking to the media in Margao on Monday, forum president Socorro Miranda and other members revealed that they had just received documents under RTI from the PWD that clearly stated that the PWD had no proposals to acquire land for the widening of the road that leads to the Raheja property. This, the forum pointed out, was enough grounds for the Town and Country Planning Department (TCP) to revoke the technical clearance to Raheja.
Incidentally, the TCP had revoked the technical clearance of the Curtorim hotel project as the access road width did not meet the criteria required for the clearance. In this case as well, the TCP had asked the PWD if it had any plans to widen the road, and when the PWD replied in the negative, the TCP had revoked the hotel’s clearance.
In Carmona’s case, the TCP has also asked the PWD if it had any plans for widening and in its inspection report that has been submitted to the government, it has called for keeping the project on hold until all issues, such as road access, are looked into.
Carmona locals have blamed the Congress government for amending the rules to allow Raheja to get a construction license and criticized the BJP government for testing the patience of the locals. They pointed out that Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza has not yet acted on the TCP file sent to his office a month ago.
“People of Carmona demand immediate action from the government. This case is identical to the Curtorim hotel project and no time should be wasted in deciding the same,” said Socorro, adding, “We demand immediate dissolution of the panchayat body and fresh elections for the remainder of the term for their fraud.”
Socorro also pointed out that unlike other panchayats, the Carmona panchayat had failed to form village committees as per the 14th finance commission. He stated that the panchayat should be disqualified as it had not acted for the welfare of the people and failed to form the committees despite three reminders being sent by the directorate of pancahayats.
“The villagers will continue with their corner meetings to raise awareness among the people regarding undue favors to Raheja Universal despite the various illegalities that have been pointed out. We would like to warn everyone that people of Carmona will not keep quite any longer and will be forced to come on the streets to get justice by scrapping of the Raheja project in Carmona,” added Socorro.
CVSWF has also reiterated its demand that the Carmona panchyat issue a showcause notice to Raheja asking why its construction license should not be revoked and criticised the pancahyat for going against the wishes of the public.
