At the gram sabha held in Cansaulim on 17.04.2011, the gram sabha members led by Dr. Marconi Correia came down heavily on Mr. D.B. Shanke, Addl. Director of Panchayats for pronouncing a mischievous order in Panchayat appeal no.91/2008, directing the local body to renew the construction licence issued to M/s RTCL, Ltd for construction of a mega housing project in a rural, ethnic ward of Cansaulim.
It maybe recalled that bowing down to pressure from the gram sabha, the local Panchayat had revoked construction licence to the mega housing project in August 2008.
The gram sabha had enumerated a list of anomalies in the construction plan among which was that the title of the property itself was not clear and the builder had encroached on private land. The access road to the property was less than 3m. There was no garbage disposal site nor garbage management plan in the village which is a reality even today despite High Court directives.
The builder went on appeal to the DOP and the Addl Director of Panchayats, Mr. D.B. Shanke in his order dt;16.11.2010 directed the Panchayat to decide upon the construction licence without getting influenced by the gram sabha resolution and to issue construction licence within a period of 30 days failing which the VP Secretary to act accordingly. The ever eager Panchayat body immediately renewed the construction licence on 15.12.2010 and the builder commenced work by felling down valuable trees. Incensed with the order the gram sabha members passed a resolution labelling the order as mischievous and illegal and directed the Sarpanch to convey their displeasure to
Mr. D.B. Shanke and the relevant authorities citing reasons that there is no provision in the law for renewing a lapsed licence as the construction licence had lapsed on 12.11.2010 besides Cansaulim has been placed in Non PDA ODP as per notified Regional Plan 2021(Release one) and the licencing authority is not the Panchayat.
The gram sabha invited the attention of the Sarpanch to the recent High Court order in Writ Petition no.843 of 2010 filed by the villagers of Cansaulim against the Village Panchayat for issuing licence to another controversial project at Kottarwaddo in Cansaulim wherein the honourable High Court had reprimanded the Panchayat thus" We find from the record that there is no fault on the part of the Town Planning Dept but it is the Panchayat which is supporting the builders and developers/owners. However in the matter of this nature, this court should not be compelled to issue directions to the authorities to act in accordance with law. All licences and permissions should be issued in ecological and environmental interest and in the interest of general public".
The gram sabha members thundered that most Panchayats in Goa resort to all sorts of illegalities under the direction and patronage of the corrupt Directors who have to be dealt with in accordance with the law. Fearing humiliation at the hands of the gram sabha members for the Public Interest Litigation having gone in favour of the villagers, senior panch members Mrs. Martha Saldanha and Mr. Ferwin Saldanha who were at the forefront of the war against the villagers in favour of the controversial Kottarwaddo housing project were conspicuous by their absence.
The gram sabha also directed the Sarpanch and panch members to undergo training and attend workshops to understand their role, duty and procedures for functioning as panchas as per the Panchayati Raj Act 1994 as in future all legal costs for wrong acts of Panchayat will be borne by individual panch members after fixing responsibility and the Panchayat funds should not be drained for wrongful conduct of individual panch members.
A gram sabha member from Arossim brought to the notice of the Sarpanch the blockage of easementary rights by an starred hotel in the village and the frisking of the locals be done under the excuse of security he asked the VP body to serve notice a show cause notice to the hotel as well the illegal construction that the hotel is resorting to..
The finance budget of the VP was also discussed where the legal fees were increased this was opposed by the gram sabha very strongly as illegal actions by the VP are sort to be defend by using legal brains at the cost of the VP fumds which could have been used constructively.
In Goa money and dadagiri talks. LMAO.
ReplyDeleteWell done Dr. Marconi Correia and others. This is the way we must teach these Chor's a lesson.
ReplyDeleteIs this a democracy where the bureaucracy is more powerful than the people? Where is the "POWER TO THE PEOPLE"?
ReplyDeleteThe Gram Sabha has enumerated the anomalies in the construction plans. The plans show or say one thing, but it is quite different on the ground. Based on the piece of paper called the plan, the authorities approve irregularities and castigate the Panchayat and the Gram Sabha because they point out the irregularities.
Why is the Panchayat NOT the Licensing Authority? Why should the bureaucracy take over or be given the powers that should vest on the Panchayat and on the Gram Sabha? What kind of grass root democracy is this where the grass is made to die by cutting off the roots?
Peoples power. Don't let them get away with anything. They ask for a bribe, bring them out on the street and beat the corruption out of them. Name and shame and if required throw rotten tomatoes at them and I bet you they will think twice before misusing their powers. Goans unite and fight for Goa. Save Goa or one day you will be lost.
ReplyDeleteJose Manuel Fernandes ex Sarpanch, Martha Saldanha, Ferwin Saldanha are on the run with their tails between their legs they stand exposed by the HC order their time is up!!! The cannot even face the gram sabha shameless lot they have sold their souls!!! down with these rogues !!!!
ReplyDeleteOur politicians do not want the power to be given to the people because if they do, them their illicit income will diminish to mere copper coins, not that copper have no value today but there will be a drastic fall in revenue for them and hence the 73rd and the 74th amendments are hijacked by our politician, peoples power at the grass-root level is withheld. All credit to Dr. Marconi. Fight for our survival is our basic democratic and human right.
ReplyDeleteIt is the duty of every Goan to protect their village from land sharks.Village after Village in Goa is being destroyed to house non-Goans with the blessing of Goan politicians and civil servants. Let us fight to preserve whatever little is left of Goa.
ReplyDeleteJustin you have spoken the truth.
ReplyDeleteCrooked politicians,their henchmen, crumb eaters and vote banks have ruined Goan villages. We have to stand up and kick them where it hurts most.
ReplyDeleteI would not hesitate to dump them in septic tanks of Mega Housing Projects.
ReplyDeleteWhat do these politicians understand about preserving Goa for Goans. Demand for land by non-Goans have turned Goan politicians against Goans. They have taken hefty bribes to grab land and forge documents. The Portuguese kept Goa clean and undisturbed, a Village was a Village. Within 50 years of Indian Invasion Goa has been destroyed beyond recognition. We have to find ways to stop the process of destruction any further, before we find our selves lost in a concrete jungle.
ReplyDelete