MARGAO: Even as Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai appealed to people not to politicise the kabrastan issue, its opponents on Tuesday called on Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and all the Navelim Panchayat members seeking their support.
Speaking to media persons, Vijai said the process of law would be strictly adhered to with regards to the kabrastan proposed at Sirvodem as it pertains to providing a dignified resting place to the dead.
Reacting to the meeting held on Monday evening at Sirvodem where some people had raised objections to filling up of the low lying land to prepare the burial ground, Vijai pointed out that the Town and Country Planning Department Act provides for filling up of low lying land.
According to Section 17A of the TCP Act, no person can cut any hill or sloppy land or fill any low lying land without prior written permission from the Chief Town Planner. Therefore, Vijai’s announcement implies that the Chief Town Planner would give the permission for filling up the land.
Pointing out that Xavier Fernandes who organised the meeting on Monday was a close associate of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, Vijai suggested that Xavier first consulted his MLA on the matter as the MLA has been taken into confidence in the matter.
Meanwhile, Xavier Fernandes along with some people from Sirvodem called on Digambar Kamat to discuss the matter but was not very happy with the outcome as Digambar reportedly told them that it was a government decision and that he being in the opposition cannot help them.
They then called on the Navelim panchayat members just as their body meeting was over seeking the panchayat support to their cause. “While 1,100 sq mts of the land is in Margao the remaining 18,900 sq mts is in Navelim and that is the reason why we met them,” Xavier Fernandes said.
Navelim Sarpanch Wilma D’Silva admitted receiving a representation from the farmers and residents of Sirvodem and said that the panchayat body would upon it at the next meeting as they met the panchayat members after the body meeting was over.
