PONDA: The residents of Undir ward in Bandora have alleged that the local panchayat, under pressure from PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, has issued a construction licence for a sewage treatment plant (STP) in their ward.
This, they said, was contrary to a letter that the Bandora panchayat wrote to the Sewerage Corporation of Goa wherein the local body informed the Corporation that the Bandora gram sabha had unanimously passed a resolution opposing an STP on Survey No 119, since the place is within the residential area and is ecologically sensitive.
Addressing a press conference under the banner of Undir Surakshan Manch (USM) on Friday, the locals urged the panchayat to revoke the construction licence issued for the STP at Undir. They also asked the panchayat and the government to select a suitable location at another place for the STP.
The press conference was addressed by Adv Surel Tilve, Gurudas Naik and some other locals.
At the briefing, Gurudas Naik said that since the gram sabha resolution opposing an STP on Survey Number 119 was not challenged by anybody within 30 days, it has now become legally valid as per the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution of India.
“Hence, even though the panchayat has issued a construction licence for an STP, it is illegal and therefore the Undir locals would challenge the decision of the panchayat to issue construction licence,” he said.
He informed that, meanwhile, the panchayat has distributed pamphlets informing the villagers that it wants to discuss the issue of STP at gram sabha scheduled on Sunday (November 19). “This is a redundant exercise since the panchayat has already issued a construction licence for the STP,” Naik said.
Undir residents pointed out that they were not opposed to STP in the panchayat, but were opposed to its setting close to Undir residential area, considering pollution and health issues and have asked for shifting to a suitable area.
