TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PONDA: Veling-Priol Panchayat and the villagers have strongly objected to plans by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) to promote religious tourism at Mardol.
Addressing a news conference in the presence of Panch Varad Mardolkar and ZP member Shivdas Gavde, Veling-Priol Sarpanch Damodar Naik said he opposed the project recently announced by Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar.
The GTDC has proposed a project on an area of about 14,500 sq mtrs at an estimated cost of about Rs 5 crore to facilitate tourists and pilgrims as part of beautification plans of Shree Mhalsa temple at Mardol to promote religious tourism.
“The panchayat is not against the development project. There are houses located around the temple and people fear that they will be displaced to make way for the project,” stated Sarpanch Naik.
“The devasthan and the Tourism department have not taken the locals and the panchayat into confidence. We will not issue NOC for the project till the plan is submitted to the panchayat and the locals,” warned Naik.
“The villagers and the panchayat are surprised over the tourism minister’s statement and on Friday, several locals rushed to the panchayat office enquiring about the project,” he added.
“In the absence of any open space in the surrounding area of the temple, how can the Tourism department construct the proposed project,” asked the sarpanch.
He claimed that even the local MLA and Cooperation Minister Deepak Dhavalikar had no idea about the proposed project.
