GERARD LOBO
bureau@herald-goa.com
TIVIM: Storing large quantities of flammable liquid in close proximity to residential areas has always been a matter of concern and hence, moves to set up a petrol pump at Anjuna has fuelled sharp reactions from residents in the area.
What has also angered locals is the unusually swift response of the Anjuna panchayat in granting a construction license barely 24 hours after the applicant submitted the documents.
“We don’t want the petrol pump in our area. This is a residential area consisting of ancestral houses which are over 150 years old. There are senior citizens and children living in the neighbourhood. The road is very narrow and is an accident-prone zone. The petrol pump will only lead to noise, smoke and dust pollution, while our wells could get polluted,” feared a resident, Acension D’Souza.
Voicing similar apprehensions, another resident told Herald that there are five wells located within a distance of 20-30 metres from the petrol bunkers.
“If any incident takes place, our lives and our homes will be wiped out. The residents of the area were not taken into confidence. What is also surprising is that the Anjuna panchayat approved the construction license within 24 hours of submission, while it takes months to approve of projects submitted by the locals.”
“A few days back, the JCB was seized by forest officials after a local complained about illegal felling of trees, but permission was given for the petrol pump,” the resident said.
When contacted, ward member Narayan Mayekar admitted that the proposed petrol had divided the community, but claimed that the panchayat had no option but to grant the construction licence.
“Some people are against the petrol pump, while some others are in favour. Since technical clearances were issued by all departments concerned, we granted the construction license. Had we not given them the license, the party could have approached the BDO or the court,” reasoned Mayekar.
When contacted, Anjuna Deputy Sarpanch Savio Almeida agreed that panchayat had passed the license with 24 hours.
“In fact, it took us just five minutes to approve the license. The file was submitted to the panchayat on January 14, 2014, and was passed the next day. The license was issued to the party on January 18. We issued the construction licence to the party, as all documents were present along with the NOCs and permissions from all departments concerned,” said Almeida.
“If the concerned residents can point out to any irregularities in the documents or facts, we will immediately revoke the license,” Almeida said.
The petrol pump owner, Shashikant Naik, has, however, insisted that all his documents are in order and added that he had no intention to disrupt peace in the neighbourhood.
“All departments concerned had inspected the site and following their approval, the file was passed by Anjuna Panchayat. The IOC is very strict in its rules and they will not hesitate to terminate the contract if they happen to find any fault with the project,” said Naik.
“There is no pollution due to the petrol pump and the wells are quite far away from the site. Health authorities inspected the area and gave us their approval.”
“I am a Goan and I want peace to prevail in the neighborhood. I obtained the permission of all departments, before deciding to set up the petrol pump. I have even left the necessary setbacks on all sides of the petrol pump as per the requirements of authorities concerned,” he added.
