TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Raia Sarpanch Isidore Rodigues on Thursday evening abruptly called off the inspection of V M Salgaonkar College complex and Raia fields.
Anthony Fernandes, a local, had complained to the Deputy Director of Panchayats that the fields were uncultivable as the college was releasing sewage into them.
More than 15 farmers, more than a 100 locals, health department officials and panchayat members had gathered for the inspection. However, nobody from the Town and Country Planning Department showed up. After learning that the inspection was cancelled, the farmers and other locals grilled Rodrigues for more than an hour.
“Why aren’t you inspecting our fields? What is it that is stopping you? My field is destroyed and are you even bothered?” asked farmers Manuel Quadros and Minguel Colaco.
“There is no record available at the Raia Panchayat of final inspection of the V M Salgaonkar College. I wonder how they got the occupancy certificate for the college without the report,” said Raia local Remy Barbosa.
Complainant Anthony Fernandes expressed shock over the inspection’s cancellation. He said, “I simply don’t understand why the TCP officials didn’t turn up for the inspection, and why the sarpanch had to cancel the inspection.”
Meanwhile, a senior official of Salgaonkar College bluntly denied permission for further inspections.
