TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CORTALIM: Calling for a holistic and transparent approach to the Cortalim fish market project, the Cortalim-Quelossim gram sabha demanded that project be taken up as per the set norms and not forced on the villagers to suit the interest of a particular section.
The issue which came up during the special gram sabha was hotly debated when the selection of the architects’ plans came up for discussion.
When acting Sarpanch Merciana Vaz asked architect Shalini Barbosa to explain her plan, the villagers did not allow the architect to speak as they wanted to know the basis of the selection of her plan.
The sarpanch informed the villagers that the market scrutiny committee had approved the plan, which prompted the villagers to know who had selected members of the committee and whether they had any technical competence to understand the plans.
They also demanded to know the basis which rated architect Barbosa’s plan superior over others. Along with Barbosa, two others architects – Atul Gadgil and Vinna Noronha had also submitted their plans in the expression of interest.
Later, as Barbosa began explaining her plan, a gram sabha member, Kennedy Pereira, told her that the moot question was first the selection of the architect plan which was under scrutiny of the villagers. The villagers however maintained that they were totally in favour of the project, but at the same time expressed the need that the project be taken up professionally so as to derive maximum advantage of the market project.
The villagers also insisted with the sarpanch to place the other two plans before the gram sabha which was refused. Interestingly, the sarpanch informed that the plan drawn up by Barbosa was already submitted to the chief minister. At this stage, the villagers sought to know whether the panchayat was doing a formality of placing the plan before the gram sabha thereby throwing dust on their eyes.
As the sarpanch could not give satisfactory reply and was found gazing, the villagers resolved that all the three plans be placed before the gram sabha along with architects, the market scrutiny committee, village planning committee so as to have a transparent approach to the project.
Others who participated in the discussions included Edwin Fernandes, Mariano Dias and architect Sarto Carvalho.
Earlier, Panch Raymond De Sa lambasted the PWD for the shoddy works in his ward.
“The PWD built a drain for smooth flow of water, but instead the water was getting accumulated at the Cross. Even the boulders have not been removed by the contractor thereby endangering public life,” rued De Sa and added that the contractor’s bill was paid.
De Sa said there was a new trend with PWD engineers asking for priority letter from MLAs/ministers for any work. “Are we not elected representatives? Why should we beg with the MLAs for getting the works done which are at the cost of public funds,” asked De Sa.
Thevillagers also criticised the authorities for frequetly calling for gram sabhas in addition to what is prescribed under the act.
