The battle over development in two of the richest coastal villages continues. Unhappy with the haphazard development in these two villages, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo feels it is right for the Planning and Development Authority to step in and take major planning decisions that the panchayats haven’t taken all these years. Ex MLA Agnelo Fernandes and de-facto leader Joseph Sequeira on the other hand feel the villages are developing just fine and fear any interference from the PDA would further urbanize their villages.
One of Fernandes’ and Sequeira’s contentions is that under the PDA, mundkars in these villages will only be entitled to 200 sq mts according to the Mundkar Act. Adv Joao Fernandes says this is not true. The mundkars will continue to be entitled to 300 sq mts as the determination date is the date on which the Act came into force and not the date the villages came under the PDA.
One of the reasons for bringing the villages under the PDA is that they no more resemble villages. Lobo says the villages are densely populated in terms of people and structures too and require roads, footpaths and parking areas urgently. According to Sequeira the villages may appear to be densely populated but a large chunk of it is a floating population. “The population in Calangute is around 9000 with an additional 4000 floating population. This is a backdoor entry for them to convert the villages into a municipality. I want the atmosphere of a village to stay.” Under the PDA, the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) will increase, giving builders a free hand to further urbanise these villages, Agnelo Fernandes says.
Regarding structures violating CRZ along the coast, Lobo says he will approach GCZMA and the PDA and regularize only those belonging to original inhabitants of the villages. Sequeira says this is not enough. “I visited Sri Lanka recently and saw ground plus four structures within 100 mts of the High Tide Line. Why doesn’t Lobo bring this up in the Assembly and pass some laws to approve these structures?” he wants to know.
A villager from Candolim who was too afraid to be named says the panchayats in these villages take much pride in practising dadagiri and harassing the villagers. “People are living in fear. The panchayat allows you to go ahead with constructions and once you have completed the construction they demand money from you. Bribery is so rampant and they aren’t even ashamed to show their face to the public. How have the panchayat members turned into crorepatis overnight?” He has little hope for his village and says he doesn’t expect improvement to come under the PDA either.
Ex sarpanch of Candolim Tomazinho Cardozo says self governance has to prevail under the panchayat system in villages and corruption cannot be an excuse for bringing the panchayat under the PDA. “Corruption should be controlled instead of bringing in another authority which is equally corrupt. The administration of the panchayat should be revamped. Only if the chairman of the PDA is extraordinarily transparent and honest would I believe that the PDA would be better.”
Sequeira defeats the corruption charge. “Nobody has seen anyone taking money.” What’s the use of a democracy he says if the State government is taking decisions? “All the members in the PDA are selected while the panchayat has all elected members. Why have selected people govern the planning of the villages rather than the elected people? We already have the Block Development officer and the Director of Panchayats overseeing the panchayats. Why have yet another body?
Spokesperson Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Adv Yatish Naik says the decision is only aimed at promoting and facilitating the builder lobby and says villagers will have to spend additional money on taxes as every sale or purchase transaction concerning land in these villages will require NOCs from the PDA.” The decision he says could be a prelude in the direction of bringing the two villages under an ODP and keeping them out of the regional plan.
Sequeira says the villagers weren’t taken into consideration when the notification was passed. One of the reasons for the decision he says is that politicians have bought land in the villages but these are landlocked. “The PDA has acquiring officers and they will just acquire land for roads to be able to develop their properties.”
Lobo says the illegalities in these villages are rampant with the panchayats taking no action. “The panchayats aren’t curbing any illegal constructions. Instead they are becoming rich at the cost of the people. The PDA will have powers of demolition and acquisition and not allow illegal construction. Why else are less tourists visiting this belt? The garbage is terrible. They (the panchayats) have ruined the place and want to ruin it further. We need to widen roads without bringing down any houses of course. There’s a lot of haphazard development that has taken place and there’s no space for an ambulance or even a fire brigade to go through.” For almost a decade, he says Sequeira hasn’t cooperated with Fernandes. “They’ve come together because they’re both losing ground. They have united against me and not for the good of Calangute.” Review Bureau
