TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has hit out at Calangute Sarpanch Geeta Porob and her husband and former sarpanch, Laxman Porob, for raising objections to road development works in Calangute village.
Sarpanch Porob has, however, claimed that she had only written to the PWD requesting it to take Calangute Panchayat into confidence over road developments, while her husband Laxman refused to be dragged into the controversy.
Lobo had alleged that when the contractor started hot-mixing of roads at Gaura Vaddo and Tivai Vaddo, Calangute, through PWD, Geeta Porob had written a letter to the PWD executive engineer at Mapusa to stop the work only in Tivai Vaddo.”
“Geeta’s husband, Laxman, has been telephonically contacting officials at PWD Mapusa and harassing them for carrying out the road works in the ward represented by his wife and Sarpanch Geeta Porob. I do not understand what they are trying to do in the name of road development,” said Lobo.
“If the Calangute sarpanch has written to the PWD to stop the work in Tivai Vaddo, then why is her husband after the PWD officials for carrying out the works in Naika Vaddo and why is he harassing the government officials,” questioned Lobo.
When contacted, Laxman Porob refused to comment as he did not want to be dragged into the controversy.
Said Geeta Porob, “We have written to the Executive Engineer, PWD-Mapusa, asking them to obtain an NOC from the Calangute Panchayat for the roads works within its jurisdiction. We support development, but the local body should be taken into confidence over the issue.”
“Earlier, we have given NOCs for the Calangute-Arpora bridge, the GTDC parking facility at Baga, Calangute beach promenade and Calangute beach parking. Hence, the question of Calangute Panchayat blocking the development does not arise, but we are the sole authority over development in Calangute and we should, therefore, be taken into confidence,” she added.
If the Calangute sarpanch has written to the PWD to stop the work in Tivai Vaddo, then why is her husband after the PWD officials for carrying out the works in Naika Vaddo and why is he harassing the government officials?
