PONDA: Undir-Bandora residents on Thursday gheraoed Bandora sarpanch Nayan Naik in her cabin for three hours and demanded that panchayat NOC to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) be revoked immediately as it will pollute the entire area.
The residents marched to the Naik’s cabin at around 4 pm protesting against the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Undir-Bandora and demanded that panchayat NOC to the plant be revoked immediately claiming that it will pollute the entire area.
After receiving information of the drama-like situation at the panchayat, the police immediately rushed to the spot and intervened. The sarpanch was allowed to go home after three hours at around 7 pm as she and other panchas assured to revoke the NOC to the STP after taking the people into confidence.
The sarpanch and nine other panchas had arrived in panchayat on Thursday at 4 pm. It is learnt that
that the panchayat was holding meeting on the STP issue, when around fifty locals opposing the plant in Undir rushed to the panchayat and blocked the path of sarpanch demanding that she revoke the NOC and relocate the STP.
The locals alleged that former PWD minister Sudin Dhavalikar had influenced the panchayat to grant NOC to SIDCL without mentioning the project location and recently they came to know that the STP was proposed at Undir. The locals further informed that they have submitted their objections to the Chief Minister.
Addressing the media on Thursday, the locals complained that they were kept in the dark by Sewerage and Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa Limited (SIDCGL) and Bandora panchayat since last one year on the STP issue and added that they have been opposing the same tooth and nail since two months.
Gurudas Naik said he had informed the chief minister that the locals were opposed to the project and that PWD minister was forcing the same on them.
He further informed that the SIDCGL applied for the project construction last year without mentioning survey number and the Bandora Panchayat granted NOC immediately without mentioning the project location.
He said they learnt about project site only recently and after noticing that several mangroves had been cut at the site and after going through site plan.
The locals informed that several mangroves have been cut to make way for the project. If the plant comes up then their agricultural and fishing activities will be destroyed and this in turn will affect their livelihood.
The villagers said, “We are not against project but we don’t want it in our village. Government should relocate the project at an isolated place away from residential area.”
They said that the panchayat has given NOC to STP without taking them into confidence and without mentioning project survey number. The villagers said they have passed resolution opposing the STP plant at the recently held gram sabha after they learnt only a fortnight ago that the said STP is coming up in their area.
They also demanded action from the forest department as several mangroves had been cut without its permission.
