Team Herald
PANJIM: There is fear and anxiety in the minds of Reis Magos villagers due to the proposed 5-star and 4- star hotel project proposed on the Reis Magos hill slope. Shockingly, the Industries Department declared at the hearing that they don’t have any plan of the Investment Promotion Board promoted project.
The project is on a steep gradient, has no road and borders the Naval area on the north, with threat to security, the historical Reis Magos Fort on the west, which is a heritage area and the River Mandovi and people residences by the South.
Architect Tulio D’Souza who filed an objection against the project in view of the Industries Department Proclamation published in the local newspapers in June, pointed out at the Industries department hearing on Tuesday, said that no representative of the Investment Promotion Board or the Company –Spark Healthline Private Limited was present to give answers. Although the IPB said the property was purchased after its approval, Tulio said the property was purchased in 2005.
Spark Healthline Private Limited project is approved by IPB and therefore there is no need for any permissions from any other department. Congress office bearers, fishermen, ward member attended the hearing and presented their objections before the Industries officials. “But the Industries Dept official said we have no power either to give you information or answer your queries,” Tulio D’Souza told O Heraldo.
“The Director of Industries tried to call the concerned IPB official to come, but he refused to attend the hearing. So we have asked for another date. Meanwhile we have placed the main issues before her that the entire 32,000 square metre slope is a no development zone. Secondly, there is no access to the plot, since the houses are located on the lower part of the plot. They didn’t have a plan of the project,” Tulio informed.
Tulio also stated that the plot falls within the CRZ area and the industries department is blissfully unaware of this. “The Industries Director was unable to reply to our queries regarding the eco-sensitive area around the project, the naval base and the Reis Magos heritage fort which also requires a buffer zone. The fishermen questioned the Industries Director about the future of the village if the hotel project comes. They said the entire village will be destroyed with the four and five star hotels and the multi-lever car parking facility,” Tulio recounted.
“Now we are waiting for the next hearing to file the detailed observations and objections to the project. The entire project has to be scrapped since it is neither good for Goa, Goans nor for the livelihood of locals, “ Tulio concluded.