The issue has dominated gram sabha after gram sabha for a little over ten years but the much anticipated public utility project in Chinchinim has failed to make any headway.
For several years, the deadlock was over a debate on whether the 9000 square meters of acquired land should host a market complex cum panchayat ghar or a panchayat ghar cum sports complex. There was a see-saw battle in this regard as the ruling majority in the panchayat kept changing and with every change, the decision on what the project should be also changed. Incidentally, in the past, GSIDC had to also drop its tender to build a panchayat cum sports complex after the then panchayat body took a decision to have the originally planned project of a market complex cum panchayat ghar on the acquired land.
Lately, the debate shifted regarding a proposal to construct the market project on a different land altogether. This led to a signature campaign by a section of the villagers and the matter was also recently taken up at the Chinchinim Citizen Committee public meeting. However, at the recent gram sabha, reiterating his stance, the new Chinchinim Sarpanch, Santos Rebello has stated that he favours the market complex on the land acquired for the purpose of the market complex near the cemetery.
Santos was asked to clarify his stand by the villagers. He said that since the land was acquired for the market complex cum panchayat ghar, based on the resolution adopted by the gram sabha, the market complex should come up on the acquired land. He pointed out that a group of residents objected to the decision to shift the market complex from the acquired land to the area near the football ground, adding that the panchayat will also take the views of the people. He also said that the gram sabha made a decision to clear the structures of the existing market so that the vendors could use the area to carry out their activities.
