NT NETWORK
MAPUSA
Anjuna villagers on Sunday opposed a new multipurpose project in river Chapora and demanded that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study be conducted.
During the gram sabha, the issue of the proposed Chapora riverfront project comprising marinas, ferry terminal, a tourist village, museum and aquarium, costing Rs 1000 crore, was raised when a villager said that “the project will not benefit the village instead will affect the activity of traditional fishermen.”
When the panchayat was questioned whether it was taken into confidence over the project, deputy sarpanch Savio Almedia said that “the panchayat has not been informed about any such project.” In this view, the gram sabha resolved to ask the government to take Anjuna panchayat into confidence over the project and a meeting be called to discuss it. Out of eleven, only five panch members were present for the gram sabha. The villagers questioned the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch about the absence of panchas.
A villager said that “if the panch members themselves were not taking the gram sabhas seriously then why should villagers attend the meetings. Such attitude cannot be accepted.”
“The gram sabha notice was also not displayed properly, there was no proper announcement made about it. In future, the panchayat should declare about convening gram sabha in advance,” the villager said. Meanwhile, at the gram sabha, a list of 72 villagers was approved for job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and others under Indira Awaz Yojna.
The sabha was attended by secretary Dharmendra Govekar and the observer was Raghuvir Bagkar.
