It would be nearly half a decade now since land admeasuring around 9000 sq mts to house a public utility project was acquired and developed in Chinchinim village. A deadlock, however, has hit the village over a question which has been a subject of debate for months now — whether the land in question should host a market complex cum panchayat ghar or a panchayat ghar cum sports complex.
The tender floated by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) earlier this year to build a panchayat ghar cum sports complex finally is in the dumps. This follows the decision of the new panchayat body headed by Sarpanch Constancio Fernandes to have the originally planned project of a market complex cum panchayat ghar on the acquired land.
Land for the ambitious market complex cum panchayat ghar was acquired by the village panchayat during the tenure of former Velim MLA and then minister for water resources Filipe Neri Rodrigues. The panchayat body had granted licence for the market complex cum panchayat ghar project way back in November 2011, before the project came under public scrutiny following a change in political guard post-2012 Assembly poll.
Says former Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues: “The plan was to build a market complex cum panchayat ghar on the acquired land. The panchayat had even issued the licence for the project, but a difference of opinion on the project has cropped up in the village after the Assembly poll. The delay will only cause a loss to the village”.
Filipe’s successor Benjamin Silva, however, said he will go as per the wishes of the people of Chinchinim. “The GSIDC had tendered the panchayat ghar cum sports complex as per the request of the panchayat body. The GSIDC have now kept the tender on hold following the resolution adopted by the new panchayat body”, Benjamin said.
Chinchinim Sarpanch Constancio Fernandes said the Panchayat had always favoured the market complex cum panchayat ghar on the acquired land from day one. “My predecessor had sent the file to the authorities for a panchayat ghar cum sports complex allegedly without the knowledge of the panchayat body. After I assumed office, the panchayat has adopted a resolution calling for the implementation of the market complex cum panchayat ghar on the acquired land”, Constancio said.
For the moment, the project looks uncertain with GSIDC Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues saying that the corporation would not go ahead with any project on the acquired unless the panchayat body adopts a firm stand is on the nature of project. It is learnt that the Chief Minister is also of the opinion that the panchayat should take a firm stand before approaching the GSIDC for execution of the project on the land. “We cannot go on changing the project design and the plan. The panchayat ghar cum sports complex project tendered on the acquired land is kept on hold. Let the panchayat come out with a firm stand on the issue”, Sanjit added.
GSIDC’s stand has raised doubts in the village whether the government will fund the proposal for a market complex cum panchayat ghar when the tendered project for a panchayat ghar cum sports complex did not find favour with the panchayat.
Sarpanch Constancio said the panchayat body has now written a letter to the Chief Minister and GSIDC Chairman Manohar Parrikar outlining the panchayat’s stand, with a copy despatched to the Velim MLA. “The panchayat body will soon call on the Chief Minister and make our stand clear in favour of the market complex cum panchayat ghar. We will also seek the help and cooperation of the local MLA Benjamin to get the projected implemented”, Constancio added.
