MARGAO: Loutolim gram sabha on Sunday unanimously resolved to grant NOC for a mobile tower in the village also in one voice objected to the setting up of a garbage management plant at Verna Industrial Estate in a plot coming under Loutolim.
Sarpanch Inacinho Fernandes read out a letter from the Goa Waste Management Corporation that stated that the garbage management plant planned at Verna Industrial Estate in Survey No 159/1 that falls in Loutolim village.
The villagers vehemently opposed to it on grounds that it would create a nuisance and be a problem to the people. One villager pointed out that the garbage plant at Patto in Panjim has been a dismal failure for the last five years and people there are bearing the stink for so long.
Fearing that the same type of plant will be set at the Verna Industrial Estate, the villagers unanimously objected to setting up the garbage management plant anywhere in Loutolim.
The issue of mobile tower was hotly discussed and the husband of former Sarpanch and current panchayat member Franky Monteiro was condemned for moving the court to stay the previous gram sabha resolution permitting four mobile towers in the village.
Sarpanch informed that Franky has moved the court claiming that the last gram sabha meeting was null and void as the panchayat body did not meet prior to the gram sabha to finalise the agenda for the gram sabha and he urged the villagers to call upon Franky to withdraw his case.
However, the villager refused to meet Franky and asked the panchayat to present the villagers problems before the court and impress upon the court that the gram sabha decided upon the towers because it was the need of the villagers who do not get connectivity in most areas of the village.
Hence it was decided to grant the NOC to Indus Towers to set up a mobile tower at Devotti in the property of the Don Bosco Fathers. However, Caesar Soares who seven years back was asked to convert the land first before erecting the tower demanded that the same yardstick be applied now and the company be asked to get the land converted first.
Jose Gracias was the only villager to raise some issues and while the Sarpanch assured him to take care of the water logging in front of his house, he was also informed that the Collector has been informed about the landslide and asked to come for an inspection.
Jose Gracias had asked the panchayat what action was taken against the landslide on the hillock and the Sarpanch informed that the panchayat members had inspected the site and accordingly written to the collector for another inspection.
