TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: Locals and tourists visiting Calangute and Baga beaches continue to face hardship, as Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mapusa extended the imposition of Section 144 by two more weeks, up to December 1, for no development in selected areas.
The move comes in the backdrop of development and initiatives by Calangute Panchayat to undertake road widening works from Calangute Association to Charlston Hotel at Khobra Vaddo, Calangute.
According to sources, the status quo on the road widening works from Calangute Association to Charlston Hotel will only cause hardship to the residents of the area besides locals and tourists travelling to and fro Calangute-Baga due to dust pollution and bumpy road.
The locals, who have been hard hit due to the road closure due to sewerage works, were hopeful that the road duly repaired and tarred would be thrown open for general public at the earliest. However, the decision of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate to extend the imposition of Section 144 banning developmental works came as a surprise for the locals.
“We were hoping that the return of the two leaders on European tour would bring us some sort of solace, possibly with a patch up between the two leaders. Further imposition of Section 144 banning development is not a good sign for the villagers of Calangute and tourists. The fight between the two leaders should in no way come in the way of development of the village. It is immaterial who finally does the work, but what matters is the repair of the broken road and its re-opening,” said a local.
When contacted, Joseph Sequeira said the developmental activity should go on and the villagers should in no way be inconvenienced. “We are holding the villagers of Calangute to ransom due to stoppage of road widening works,” he said.
“We are however ready to co-operate with the government authority and have no objection if the work is done by PWD or GSIDC, but the width of the road should be 15 metres. When locals have extended us their co-operation, I do not understand the logic in stopping the work or else we will ask the locals themselves to tar their properties to avoid dust pollution,” added Sequeira.
It may be recalled that the public spat between Sequeira and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo had led to imposition of Section 144 banning developmental activity at the bus bay at Calangute market and road widening works from Calangute Association to Charlston Hotel up to November 17.
