Mega project dominates Santa Cruz meet
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MERCES, JUNE 6
The issue of construction of a mega housing project near Bondaval Lake rocked the Santa Cruz gram sabha yet again with villagers demanding that the panchayat should not renew the license of the project, which expires on June 28.
Initiating the discussion, Reggie Pinto of Santa Cruz Education and Action Movement (SCREAM) brought to the notice of the villagers that the license for the project was issued in 2006 and subsequently it was renewed in 2009 for a period of one year.
“The renewed license expires on June 28 and it is my fervent appeal to the villagers to take the issue seriously as the project threatens the Bondaval Lake as garbage and sewage would find its way in the lake and contaminate it,” Pinto informed and asked the villagers for their say in the matter.
The villagers later passed a resolution demanding the panchayat should not renew the license for the project since it would be detrimental for the survival of the Bondaval Lake.
However, speaking to Herald, panchayat secretary P R Pednekar informed that the issue will first be dealt at length at the panchayat meeting and only after taking all the legal aspects into consideration would a decision be made in the matter.
Pinto then suggested that the panchayat should explore the possibilities of starting fresh water fish production in the Bondaval Lake and also approach the government to give subsidy for the fishermen who show interest in the venture.
The absence of the panchas also created a furore at the meeting with villagers questioning why all the panchas are not present and demanded that strict action should be taken to ensure that all the panchas remain present at the gram sabha so that the problems of each ward are highlighted and resolved.
Some villagers even demanded that those panchas who remain absent for more than three meetings in a row should be disqualified. However, with the Panchayat Act not clearly defining what action should be taken against any panch who remains absent for a gram sabha, the issue headed for a dead end.
Later, the villagers passed a resolution urging the panchayat to issue show cause notices to all the panchas who were absent for the meet. However, this resolution, too, will be reviewed at the panchayat meeting, informed secretary P R Pednekar since it involves issuing show cause notice to an elected person.
The issue of open spaces was also discussed at the gram sabha and Peter Pires brought to the notice of Sarpanch Rosy Fernandes that open spaces are being freely encroached upon and no action has been forthcoming from the panchayat in the matter.
He further sought to know why panchayat is hesitant to act against the offenders and demanded that the panchayat immediately take possession of all the open spaces in the village.
Sarpanch Rosy, however, informed that nobody is handing over the possession of open spaces to the panchayat despite sending several reminders, which is acting as a hindrance in developing open spaces.
When questioned what action would the panchayat take against builders/developers who are refusing to hand over possession of open spaces, the sarpanch informed Herald that she has run out of option and now the only way is to forcibly take possession.
