TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The Majorda-Utorda-Calata village panchayat has rejected the controversial housing project proposed at Francis Costa Wado in Utorda on a host of grounds, with the panchayat ruling that the project will neither generate employment for locals nor provide any benefits for the village.
“The objections voiced by the villagers appear to be genuine. The housing project will disturb our environment. The people with their traditional ways of living will be totally erased,” the resolution adopted by the panchayat stated.
While rejecting the project, the panchayat pointed out that the entire Francis Costa Wado consists of about 50 houses, while the project intends to construct about 31 dwelling units on land admesuring 7000 sq mts. “These dwelling units are intended for sale to outsiders since locals do not have purchasing power. Besides, the dwelling units are meant to be used as holiday homes/resorts. Slowly and certainly, the villagers are becoming strangers in their own land by such projects,” the resolution stated.
“Moreover, the resolution stated that the village had been facing problems over the availability of water, power and the disposal of garbage. Plastic finds its way at every nook and corner. Septic tanks overflowing and finding their way into paddy fields, wells and storm water drains is the order of the day,” the resolution said.
“The identity of the village is at stake. The village fabric is at risk of being disrupted, damaged and wiped out forever. The land where the project is sought to be executed is of agricultural nature abound with more than 165 coconut trees,” the resolution stated while unanimously rejecting the construction file.
