TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Grandiose plans by the Assolna Village Panchayat to acquire land for a panchyat ghar cum market complex at the starting point of the approach road to the Assolna-Cavelossim Bridge have hit a big block.
The Town and Country Planning Department has turned down the panchayat’s request to issue the No Objection Certificate for land acquisition, with Town Planner R M Borkar asserting that the panchayat’s request cannot be considered.
In fact, in a communiqué to the panchayat body, the town planner said the area proposed for land acquisition for the construction of panchayat ghar cum market complex is earmarked as “Cultivable land zone” as per the Regional Plan for Goa 2001 and 2021. The Town Planner made it clear that the development proposed by the panchayat body is not permitted in the zone.
The TCP’s communiqué may come as a setback for those who were rooting for a new panchayat ghar cum market complex in the fields as part of long term planning to decongest the market area.
The proposed site was approved by the gram sabha after a committee had identified the land as most suitable for the proposed panchayat ghar cum market complex.
Given the situation, Velim MLA Benjamin D’Silva said he has approached Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar for a grant for reconstruction work at the existing Panchayat ghar. Though the land where the panchayat ghar is located is reported to be belonging to the government, the matter has been discussed with the Chief Minister so that the reconstruction work can begin immediately after the monsoons. “I do not say the reconstruction of the existing panchayat ghar will give do away with the congestion, but it will certainly give relief till a permanent solution is found to the problem”, Benjamin said.
In the absence of a spacious market complex, fish vendors are literally forced to squat right along the road side, resulting in traffic snarls in the market area. The absence of a spacious market has also forced vendors organising the Thursday vegetable bazaar to carry out the business activity on the historic Lohia Chowk.
