TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: The Lok Sabha poll fever has started to heat up in Bardez taluka, with a team of Election Commission (EC) officials visiting Arpora on Monday, amid complaints that some road works were being carried out in violation of the Election Code of Conduct.
The EC officials visited Arpora in the presence of a police team and inspected the road works leading to a resort at Arpora.
The EC team later confronted Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on the road works at Arpora and directed him not to cut any trees, as there had been objections by the locals.
Lobo, however, informed the EC team that the ongoing works were part of the sanctioned hot-mixing works in Arpora-Nagoa.
Speaking to Herald, an EC official S K Sharma said the team had gone to visit the site following a complaint that works were being carried out in Arpora despite the enforcement of the Election Code of Conduct.
“There were complaints that trees have been illegally felled to carry out the road-widening works in the area. However, the Calangute MLA has shown me the copies of orders for felling of trees in the road-widening areas. Lobo has also explained to me that the works are not new, but part of ongoing works from Nagoa junction to Arpora,” said Sharma.
“I will place this information before the higher authorities, who will then decide in the matter.”
A local remarked that the roads in Arpora-Nagoa are not being developed in the interest of villagers “but to suit the interest of hoteliers.”
“The road opposite St Sebastian Chapel at Arpora Market is being done specifically to benefit one hotelier and nobody does anything for citizens, but for ulterior motives,” the local said.
When contacted, Lobo claimed that the ongoing works were nothing new but part of the works being undertaken by GSIDC, including the repairs of roads, soling, asphalting and widening of the existing road in Arpora-Nagoa.
“We were not doing anything new other than cutting old trees and other trees which were located on road-widening areas from Arpora Bridge to the temple at Ximer-Arpora. We have all the permissions to cut the trees on the road-widening areas,” said Lobo.
When asked why trees were being felled for road-widening work when locals are discouraged to cut trees, Lobo replied, “After completing all the road works in Arpora-Nagoa, I will ensure that around 150 trees are planted in the village.”
Responding to allegations that the internal road-widening work opposite St Sebastian Chapel was being done to benefit one hotelier, Lobo said, “The land acquisition for the road leading to the resort is in process. The road works, including widening and repairs, will be undertaken by GSIDC. The road works will be immediately undertaken where people are willing to part with their land.”
