Team Herald
PONDA: Bandhora gram sabha witnessed heated discussion on the issue of Sewage Treat Plant (STP).
The residents of Undir ward where the STP is proposed to be constructed, took to the sapanch to task questing him how PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar could make a statement in the ongoing Goa Assembly that he would complete the project at Undir, when the gram sabha passed a resolution revoking the NOC to STP.
In a reply to a question tabled by Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, Sudin had assured in assembly that the STP would be completed in one year time.
The furious villagers once again by passed a resolution by an overwhelming majority opposing the STPl in Undir ward of Bandora Panchayat.
The villagers said that the procedure to construct the STP in Undir is illegal as the panchayat was kept in darkness and the NOC was obtained for STP without mentioning Survey Number. The NOC was revoked later on. The villagers said that they oppose the plant at Undir since it is a residential area, eco-sensitive with mangrove trees and their livelihood is dependent on fishing activities. All these will be affected if the STP is built there, they said.
Further, they said, the proposed STP land is tenanted agricultural land and can’t be used for non-agricultural purpose.
The villagers also passed a resolution that the copy of the resolution opposing to STP should be sent to the chief minister and PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar for their information. Locals also alleged scam in project.
The gram sabha also passed a resolution opposing to setting up a petrol pump at Farmagudi and also storage facility for petroleum products as locals raised safety issues.
The locals are opposed to petrol pump at Farmagudi in ward 9 which was announced by the government through the official gazette; the villagers demanded that before proposing any project, the government consult the locals through gram sabah.
The gram sabha demanded that illegal hill cutting be stopped in their village; parking be banned on both sides of road; and gutters be constructed using the fund of fourteenth finance commission for development works.
