Storm brewing over mega project at Chimbel

HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MERCES, DEC 21
The heavy influx of migrants in Chimbel, particularly Indira Nagar, has put tremendous pressure on the infrastructure like water, power supply, sewage, garbage woes, etc and is giving nightmares to the locals who fear that a time will come when they would be reduced to a minority in their own village.
And now, the passing of a major residential project near Kirlawada primary school has only added fuel to the growing insecurity of the locals, who feel that the time is not far when the demography of the village will change and outsiders will rule the roost in Chimbel.
In light of this fear, around 200 villagers signed a memorandum requesting the Sarpanch to immediately issue stop work order and revoke the license of the mega residential project, as it will be disastrous to the village and the villagers.
The villagers have also called upon the Sarpanch to convene a special gram Sabha meeting to discuss the issue as the locals were kept in the dark while passing the project, which they say is detrimental to their future.
One of the signatories Tukaram Kunkalkar told Herald that such residential projects would benefit the outsiders, who have the buying capacity, and these outsiders will add more misery on the already crumbling infrastructure, ultimately depriving the locals of their basic rights.
The memorandum also has posed a serious question as to how the project will take care of its power and water needs and has asked the Panchayat to clarify how garbage and sewage will be treated by the builders.
Citing the menace of Indira Nagar, where the flow of sewage/waste water has rendered the paddy fields uncultivable, the villagers have questioned whether the Panchayat will be in a position to handle a similar situation that will arise in case the flat owners of the project release their sewage into the nallah running parallel to the location of this mega project.
Further, casting serious doubts on the capability of the Panchayat to solve the problems existing in the village, the signatories have demanded that the Panchayat immediately revoke the license issued to the mega project and also to make sure that such projects are not allowed in the village henceforth, without involving the locals.
When contacted, Chimbel Sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar informed that he has forwarded the application of the villagers to the BDO for his say in the matter and then only will he be in a position to reply to their queries.
On the issue of convening a special gram Sabha, Chandrakant informed that the BDO has informed that the number of signatories should comprise a certain percentage of the total eligible voters in the village to convene a special gram Sabha.