Both, PWD and Velim panchayat, draw a blank over the document
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Mystery shrouds the disappearance of a construction file of a hotel project in Velim village.
While the file has mysteriously disappeared from the village panchayat records, the PWD has now written to the VP that the file is not found in the department either.
The hotel project has been in the eye of a storm in the village, with locals alleging that the owner extended the project without due permission, besides encroaching in the adjoining water bodies
When Herald contacted village Sarpanch Melvyn Sanches to throw light on the hotel construction file, he said the PWD has now written to the Panchayat that the file had gone missing.
The Panchayat had approached the PWD with a request for the construction file after the file went missing from the panchayat records. “The Panchayat is helpless on the matter with the 1988 construction file going missing from both the Panchayat as well as the PWD,” remarked Sanches.
Incidentally, the Sarpanch maintained that he would seek permission from the Additional Director of Panchayats to conduct site inspection of the hotel project since the matter is sub-judice. “How can I inspect the hotel when the matter is sub-judice? The Panchayat will seek permission from the Deputy Director of Panchayats for the inspection,” he added.
Local activists and gram sabha members, however, begged to differ. Activist Ramona Almeida said that nothing stops the Sarpanch from carrying out inspection of the hotel as demanded by the local villagers. “I fail to understand why the Sarpanch is seeking permission from the Additional Director of Panchayats,” she added.
Ramona said the villagers only want to know whether the hotel project has been extended by the owner as against the approved construction plan. “The site inspection has nothing to do with any matter pending before the Additional Director of Panchayats. Moreover, it’s indeed surprising that a construction file has gone missing from the panchayat records and is now not found in the PWD as well,” she added.
