Team Herald
VASCO: The Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) promised Chicalim villagers to take them into confidence while preparing the present revision of the Land Use Plan and Land Use Register for Chicalim village. MPDA also accepted the invitation of the locals to visit Chicalim village and understand various its features in view of the village’s history, heritage, ecology and biodiversity. Chicalim is the only village to make its own Land Use Map and Land Use Register.
Cyril Fernandes of Chicalim Village Action Committee (CVAC) explained that the Chicalim panchayat, local associations and residents were invited for a personal hearing, in view of the representations they had submitted earlier to MPDA over the proposed revision of the Land Use Map and Land Use Register.
He added that the assurance was given by the sub-committee appointed by MPDA in the matter of the revision of Land Use Plan for Chicalim village.
Member secretary Vertiga Dagur and MPDA members Brian Pereira and Chandrakant Gawas, are the three member sub-committee appointed to hear the grievances of the local in this matter.
Chicalim Sarpanch, Sebastiao Pereira demanded that the MPDA depute a technical expert to the gram sabha of the village to explain the proposed revision. This was accepted by the sub-committee and they sought a suitable date from the Sarpanch, who said he will convey the same after consulting the other panchas.
Edwin Mascarenhas in his individual representation pointed out that the present proposed revision of the Land Use Map and Register was not as per the procedure laid down, that various legends are missing in the proposal and sought necessary corrections. The committee informed Mascarenhas that his points were noted and shall be incorporated in the proposal.
CVAC and Chicalim Biodiversity Management Committee (CBMC) brought to the notice of the sub-committee that they had noticed several errors in the proposal of the MPDA sent to the panchayat. They said the villagers themselves had met, inspected and identified each and every area under each survey number and prepared their present Land Use Plan and Land Use Register and submitted the same to the MPDA for consideration in the month of August within the notice period.
Members representing CVAC and CBMC requested the sub-committee to study their proposal and to adopt the same after due consultation, if it’s found suitable and within the parameters of the law. The sub-committee agreed to look into the same and revert back to the villagers for further action.
The sarpanch requested that the Land Use Plan and Register prepared by the villagers be placed before the gram sabha by the MPDA, which was agreed to by the sub-committee.
