PANJIM: Curca-Bambolim panchayat has opposed the inclusion of the village in the Greater Panjim Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA).
Speaking to the media at Curca, all the panchayat members said they are opposing the PDA and demanded that the notification be revoked immediately.
Rama Kankonkar, a resident of Curca, said the panchayat had resolved on November 1, 2017 against inclusion in the PDA. On November 14, 2017 a letter was sent to the Chief Minister and Town and Country Planning Minister conveying their opposition to the inclusion of Curca in the PDA.
He said that on November 28, 2017, a special gram sabha was convened and a resolution was passed against the PDA, that was also conveyed to the government but despite this the village has been included in the PDA.
“There are several reasons why the people don’t want PDA. This includes increase in taxes, vertical development, no powers to panchayat and very importantly the threat to demography”, he said.
Prakash Sawant another resident of the village appealed to the government not to impose the PDA on the people when the entire village is opposing it.
He said that forest, khazan, orchard land and fields have been included in the PDA. “Our village will be converted into a city in a few years if the PDA goes ahead,” he said.
Villagers said they will be joining the protest on Sunday morning at St Cruz against the inclusion of the villages in the PDA.
