VASCO: The Cortalim-Quelossim gram sabha has strongly objected to the government’s decision to change the status of the coconut tree. It has also recommended that the panchayat write to the government to scrap the Investment Promotion Board (IPB).
On the coconut tree issue, the gram sabha claimed that the government, by changing the status of the coconut tree, was deliberately trying to hurt and even play with the sentiments of Goans, which they called highly objectionable.
Earlier, the gram sabha had a lengthy debate on the villagers’ pending demand of filing an FIR against the officials of the Mini India Project in Quelossim. The villagers grilled the panchayat body for not taking serious steps to penalize the promoters, who had illegally cut mangroves in an eco-sensitive zone, and to reclaim the land at the project site.
“A villager raised the issues of pending action against those involved in the destruction of mangroves as well as the land reclamation at the project site in Quelossim. I informed the villagers that the panchayat had already submitted a complaint to the police about the destruction, but the police refused to take action and asked the panchayat to approach a competent authority. We have now decided to hold a site inspection with the Village Biodiversity Management Committee and to submit a report to the Goa State Biodiversity Board for its invention,” said Hilario Figueiredo, Cortalim Sarpanch
The villagers also raised concern over the operations of tourist boat ‘MV Blessing’ at Cortalim Jetty. It is pertinent to note that the gram sabha had unanimously opposed the granting of permission for the project.
The gram sabha was informed that the panchayat had not issued permission to the boat operator, but the latter managed to obtain permission from government authorities, following which they started operations.
