CM’s remark on powers draws flak in Nuvem
MARGAO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statement that only panchayat bodies will have power to issue or revoke construction licences and gram sabhas have no legal powers to direct pachayat bodies in this matter, since they are recommendatory bodies drew flak from Nuvem gram sabha members on Sunday.
Jose Roque Rodrigues, Zarina Cunha, Savio Menezes and others speaking at the Sunday gram sabha said the CM’s statement was inappropriate as the gram sabha was a forum at grass root level to decide what is good for the village. Zarina expressed that it was sad that Parrikar earlier as opposition leader had support gram sabhas to have powers and accused him for doing a U-turn.
Andrade moved a resolution that decision of gram sabha regarding any development including construction should be final and biding and also demanding change in building rules such that panchayat should be final authorities and not the Director of Panchayats.
Amidst uproar, Sarpanch Rubin Costa refused to bend to the demand made by Adv Jessica, Andrade, Zarina, Menezes and other gram sabha members to revoke construction licence granted for a school (Bloomz International School) project at Baida, Nuvem. The sarpanch stated that he needed time to study the matter to take a decision.
While gram sabha members claimed that the project did not have permission under section 17-A of TCP Act for cutting the hill, the sarpanch claimed that the TCP has not informed on same when asked.
The meeting resolved to carry out an exercise to verify migrants putting up in the village, with the Sarpanch saying that the migrant tenants would be served one month’s time to submit their details to the police or face penal action.
