TEAM HERALD
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
PANJIM: The Goa Bench of the High Court of Bombay expressed its displeasure over the manner in which village panchayats and other authorities are granting approvals for development projects of builders, cautioning that if this continues “there will be nothing left of Goa.”
The Bench comprising justices VM Kanade and UV Bakre made this observation while hearing a petition filed by the Corlim Citizen Civic and Consumer Forum against the Corlim Village Panchayat, Town & Country Planning Department and other departments alleging violations of planning regulations committed by private builders.
The forum approached the High Court regarding approvals being granted for multistorieed buildings in the village without considering the infrastructure facilities available, garbage disposal system etc.
The petitioner, represented by Advocate Joseph Vaz argued that the streets and nullahs in the village are filled with garbage creating health hazard. He also pointed out that in spite of water supply shortage, power fluctuation and the road width being less than three meters, multistoried buildings are being permitted on assumption of the proposed road width of six meters.
“The authorities know that such roads of six meters width cannot be constructed in view of the existence of old houses and religious places. Buildings are being constructed without setbacks… in spite of the planning authorities ordering stoppage of work, the builder has constructed buildings in gross defiance,” he told the bench.
The parties have been directed to file their replies within two weeks. Advocate E Afonso appeared for the State and Advocate PA Kamat for the village panchayat.
