TEAM HERALD
OLD GOA: The St Cruz MLA Babush Monserrate came in for severe criticism at the Merces gram sabha, on Sunday, with the villagers raising questions over the indiscriminate cutting of trees and filling of low-lying areas without taking the local panchayat and the villagers into confidence.
Raking up the issue, Jerry Vaz said that development is definitely needed in Merces but not at the cost of harm to the environment and ecology.
“The lakes in Merces are filled and trees are felled indiscriminately for road-widening purpose,” Vaz stated and sought to know from the panchayat authorities whether they have been taken into confidence by the MLA.
Replying to the query, sarpanch Prakash Naik said that the panchayat has not received any intimation from the MLA regarding the road widening project. “I only received a phone call from the MLA’s PA asking to remain present on Monday morning near the Merces church as the MLA will visit the area,” he added.
This only further infuriated the villagers who demanded that the MLA should instead be asked to come to the panchayat and answer the queries of the villagers.
The unauthorized installation of a 4G tower at Moloca in a private property was also discussed with panch Walter D’Sousa stating that the owner of the property used abusive language against the panchayat secretary and the staff when they went to question him. D’Sousa further said that the owner is also misleading the people of the vicinity by telling that he is only installing a generator for pumping water when actually the structure is built for the installation of a 4G tower.
Later, the villagers unanimously resolved that the panchayat should immediately stop work on the project and not allow setting up of any mobile tower anywhere in the village as the radiation is harmful for the health of the people.
The continuance of business activities near the Santa Cruz-Merces highway junction at Moloca despite the panchayat revoking licences, also dominated the gram sabha with the villagers now threatening to hold a morcha to highlight the inaction by the higher authorities to curb the illegal activities that are underway.
Sarpanch Prakash Naik said that the panchayat has already revoked licences for conduct of business activities in the area, including the operation of a restaurant and a steel yard. “Whatever business activities that are currently going on in the area are all illegal,” Naik stated but expressed helplessness in stopping these activities as the higher authorities like the Directorate of Panchayats, Health, FDA, etc, are showing leniency towards the violator.
“The panchayat authorities have done everything legally possible to stop the illegalities,” Naik added but stated that the panchayat will now write to the PWD and the electricity department to disconnect water and power supply as the license has been revoked.
Later, the villagers decided that the only option to put an end to the illegal activities is to hold a morcha to highlight the scant respect shown to the local authorities by the violator.
