Team Herald
VASCO: The gram sabha members of Chicalim on Sunday cautioned the State government against nationalising the rivers in Goa.
Gram Sabha also advised the panchayat to write to the government to go slow on signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the river nationalization project as the same would have severe implications for local residents, traditional fishing community and farmers.
Hosts of issues plaguing the village were discussed in the gram sabha meeting Chaired by Sarpanch Sebastiao alias Seby Pereira on Sunday.
The issue of nationalization of rivers of Goa was raised by gram sabha member Cyril A Fernandes. While speaking against the proposed nationalization of rivers of Goa, he informed the members present that nationalization of rivers of Goa is unconstitutional and has no legal sanctity in view of the ownership rights of the local communities over the rivers.
He claimed that local communities have always been the decision makers, the caretakers, as well as the beneficiaries of the rivers of Goa, however, if government signs MoU then the jurisdiction of the panchayat on the rivers will be lost as then the Centre will have full rights on the rivers.
It was also brought to the notice of the members present that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar recently announced on the floor of the assembly that State government would soon sign an MoU with Centre and MPT.
Therefore, he advised the panchayat to intervene and write to the government to go slow on signing MoU as as the same would have severe implications on whole of Goa and especially the traditional fishing communities and farmers.
After a detailed discussion on the issue, the gram sabha unanimously passed a resolution that none of the rivers of Goa should be nationalized and that the sovereignty of the people of Goa over the rivers be maintained and that the panchayat should communicate to the government to first consult the public and panchayat before signing an MoU for the river nationalization project.
Edwin Mascarenhas, another gram sabha member, raised the issue of MPT’s expansion plan and its possible impact on River Zuari especially near the Chicalim Bay. To this gram sabha later unanimously resolved that MPT be denied permission by the respective authorities to enhance its port capacity to its proposed levels for importing coal from abroad or from other Indian ports as the same would have serious impact on River Zuari especially near the Chicalim Bay, which is a rich estuary of endangered species.
Chicalim Biodiversity Management Committee Chairman Rui Costa de Araujo raised the issue of collection of biological resource for commercial purposes by the people. To this the Gram Sabha members unanimously resolves that the committee shall levy charges as collection fees from any entity, be it foreign and/or non-resident Indians for accessing or collecting biological resource for commercial purposes from areas falling within the territorial jurisdiction of Chicalim panchayat.
Parking menace on NH17 B road at Dabolim due to operations of Vishal Mega mart, solution to the garbage menace in the village and contamination of ground water due to garbage pits constructed by the panchayat, besides other developmental project proposals etc were also discussed during the gram sabha which remained peaceful till end.
