Team Herald
PANJIM: Villagers voiced opposition to the construction of new jetties along the Mandovi riverside and expressed concern over rampant land conversions in the village.
However, Sarpanch Ashwin D’Souza clarified that permission would only be granted for existing jetties meant for tourism purposes and added that the issue of land conversions was pending in the court and hence it was beyond the purview of the panchayat.
Regarding the illegal constructions, the Sarpanch noted that the approvals for these constructions were granted by the previous panchayat body.
“People have no problem with the projects for tourism purposes but they are saying that permission should not be given for projects on private, comunidade land or government land on the riverside,” he said.
He said “The issue of alleged land conversion by former Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel was raised by a villager but we were told that it will not be taken up for discussion as it was subjudice.”
On the illegal structures which have come up in the village, he said they had not come up during his tenure but pointed fingers at the previous panchayat body and said there was an attempt to implicate him in the issue.