Team Herald
MARGAO: Acrimonious scenes were witnessed at the Seralim gram sabha after the panchayat issued permissions to a trader without a word being mentioned about the nature of business to be conducted on a disputed plot of land. Irate villagers questioned the chair over the unanimous resolution adopted by the panchayat to favour the developer of the controversial land.
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The members argued that when the issue regarding land-filling came up for discussion, the panchayat refused to allow the villagers to deliberate on it stating that the matter was sub judice but the same civic body had gone ahead and issued licences to the alleged violator.
“We question the locus standi of the panchayat for issuing the trade licence when a case of land filling is going on in court,” thundered the villagers.
The members alleged that the Sarpanch herself proposed granting of the trade license to the applicant, who, according to villagers, is the wife of a local political leader.
It is important to note that in the July 30 edition, O Heraldo highlighted the issue of illegal fish selling and storage activities taking place on the same land, just a few meters away from the wholesale fish market, within the jurisdiction of the Seraulim village panchayat.
The report also pointed out the traffic congestion caused by these illegal activities, raising concerns about public safety and local law enforcement’s response.
On Thursday, a group of villagers in Seraulim expressed their anger over the issue and demanded the revocation of the controversial trade license. They also called for the land to be restored to its original condition.
Elvis Coutinho, a villager, alleged that there was illegal land filling which is currently under litigation.
He further alleged that despite the ongoing court case regarding the illegal land filling, the panchayat body went ahead and issued a trade license without specifying the type of business that would be conducted there.
Joaquim Dias, another villager, pointed out that the gram sabha minutes did not mention the type of business to be conducted on the land, and there was no site inspection carried out by the panchayat.
He described this as a clear case of undue influence in the matter. Dias demanded the revocation of the trade license and the cessation of all other illegal activities taking place on the property.
Sarpanch Seema Shenke defended the panchayat’s decision, stating that although the land filling issue was pending in court, there was no injunction on the matter and asserted that the panchayat had inspected the site before issuing the trade license.
However, when questioned about the nature of business to be conducted on the land was not mentioned, she was unable to provide any answer. Despite her previous statements to O Heraldo in July, where the sarpanch claimed the panchayat was regularly requesting police action against illegal activities on the land, she could not clarify the current situation.
Villagers also demanded that the authorities initiate action against the panchayat body and threatened to intensify the agiation.
