TEAM HERALD
VASCO: After successfully opposing a proposed mega housing project at Sancoale on the grounds that the site was private forest, residents of ward 2 of Sancoale Panchayat were in for a rude shock to see an adjacent property enclosed for the purpose of construction.
Acting on directives of Environment Minister Alina Saldanha, her officials inspected the site and claimed that the lower portion of the property had been earmarked for construction, while the upper portion had been reserved for private forest.
Speaking to Herald, the villagers informed that four adjacent properties at Sancoale had been identified as private forest by the Deputy Conservator of Forest, South Goa Division.
The residents sought to know how Vasco Planning and Development Authority could pass the plans when the Deputy Conservator of Forest in a letter dated March 21, 2013, stated that the land is a private forest.
The residents further informed that about five years ago, the people of the ward and other villagers had objected to a mega housing project on the adjacent land, claiming that it was private forest. The authorities withdrew the permission and the project was finally aborted.
The residents have questioned PDA’s logic in granting the construction company permission to construct row villas when the adjacent area is identified as private forest.
According to information obtained under Right to Information by former attorney and Sancoale Comunidade Treasurer Narayan Naik, during the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority’s 8th meeting on March 25, 2013, the file of the construction company had been placed before them for approval, however it was deferred. Sources in PDA told Herald that the plans were approved in the 9th MPDA meeting.
During its meeting on August 27, 2014, the Sancoale Panchayat issued construction license based technical clearance from Town and Country Planning Mormugao.
Speaking to Herald, Narayan Naik said he is in the process of filing a PIL against MPDA and TCP for granting construction permission for mega projects on their own imagination and without conducting site inspection.
“I am not against the project, but the authorities should come and inspect the areas and verify the facts and only after this they should grant necessary permission,” said Naik.
What is most astonishing is that how MPDA passed the plans without conversion NOC from the Deputy Conservator of Forest.
