Team Herald
MARGAO: The villagers of Dramapur-Sirlim resolved to allow the housing board scheme in the village only if the first preference is given to the sons and daughters of the local villagers, who have no land or house of their own. The resolution was proposed by former sarpanch Dominic Noronha on Sunday during the gram sabha.
Noronha proposed the resolution in response to what he claimed was a secret conspiracy to set up housing boards in Dramapur-Sirlim along with Nuvem, Chinchinim, and Cuncolim in South Goa. Noronha informed that nearly 2 lakh square meters of the land has been identified for the housing board project in his village. “If migrants take over the housing board, our demographics will be severely altered and it will put pressure on our village,” he said.
The gram sabha resolved to object and reject the housing board scheme in the village and if there are any such projects in the future, the proposal must be discussed and approved in the gram sabha.
The gram sabha also resolved to reject any proposal for change of zone on a case by case basis under 16B of the TCP Act. The resolution which was proposed by Noronha stated that any land conversion under 16B must be sent to the panchayat by the TCP department and discussed in the gram sabha. The gram sabha further resolved that only such approvals will be granted by the village only if the area is less than 1000 sq mts and the conversion is meant for a single dwelling.
“Many villagers have property but cannot construct a house for themselves. Only such conversions must be allowed,” said Noronha. He informed that one construction company has applied for converting a part of their agricultural land for constructing an old age home and girls’ hostel. “This is just a trick to open up further construction in the remaining land,” he said.
