Team Herald
CARMONA: Carmona Villagers Social Welfare Forum has announced that they are planning on filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court at Goa against the State government’s actions on the Regional Plan 2021.
“It is our request to all villagers to become a party to our petition and to come on one platform. The people of Goa are wise enough to take a joint decision to save our Goa from further destruction,” said forum president Socorro Miranda.
A meeting of the villagers has been called on December 19 to discuss and decide the future course of action. The villagers have also criticised the panchayat for failing to make enough efforts to take the villagers into confidence regarding the contentious RP2021 given that the plan is currently open and villagers can file their objections.
The pancahyat that saw its Sarpanch Lavita Dias voted out of office at a no confidence motion has come under criticism from locals who have accused the panchas of being interested only in musical chairs in view of the recent developments with regard to the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch seat.
The forum has also criticised the state government for failing to form district or village level development and planning committees and felt this was essential for the regional plan and without it the government cannot dump the regional plan the RP 2021 on the people of Goa.
“We will challenge the government’s decision to open the RP2021 without considering the Article 234 G of the constituition and 73rd amendment as well “ added Socorro.
It maybe recalled that the forum had earlier criticised TCP minister Francis D’souza for his comments on the regional plan and Rahejas in Camona. Furthremore, the RP2021 is significant as the locals had opposed the width of the roads proposed on the plans. The RP also shows a ten meter road to the Raheja property that the villagers have unanimously opposed at numerous gram sabhas for the last decade.
