Dears,
This is no APRIL FOOL news of 2010. Mog asundi Miguel *Benaulim VP competent to verify question of ownership: sarpanch* HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 31 The Benaulim Panchayat has refuted all allegations made by the Principal of St Anne’s High School, Benaulim and asserted that the Panchayat is competent to verify the question of ownership before the issue of a construction license. In a statement, Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes has said the Panchayat is legally empowered as per *GoaTCP Rule 6 *wherein the *TCP itself has said the ownership has to be verified by the Panchayat body*. Referring to the allegations made by the school principal Cristavo Vas Falcao, she said the school principal has no right to ask for a construction license without making provision for parking facilities. Carmelina has said the Panchayat had only asked the TCP to reconsider the TCP approvals so as to clarify the parking position approved for 1800 students as *the present building is allegedly shown to be built on earlier school building parking*. “Does the Panchayat not even have this much power to verify the position”, she asked. Terming as false the statement by the Principal that documents are submitted to the Panchayat body as per rules and regulations, the Sarpanch said there is no conversion sanad for the building. “The proposed undertaking to demolish the house/building for parking is not shown and the present proposed building is shown to be built on earlier school building parking”, she said. The sarpanch said there is no question of a stalemate between the Panchayat and the school as stated by the school Principal, saying the legal proceedings are not yet over as there is also a resolution to reject the approvals and the same has to be challenged. http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/Benaulim-VP-competent-to-verify-question-of-ownership-sarpanch/35347.html *Colva VP serves show cause notices on 6 establishments* HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 31 The Colva village Panchayat has cracked a whip against *hotels and establishments for discharging their sewage and waste waters in the open drains*. Taking serious note of the waste water discharge in the storm water drains as highlighted by local NGOs, the Panchayat has served notices on six establishments to show cause why action should not be initiated against them for causing nuisance. Incidentally, two of the establishments have denied their hand in the discharge of the waste waters in the drain, while the remaining hotels are yet to reply to the notices. In the meantime, the Panchayat has decided to write to the *Health Services to inspect the premises of the concerned establishments to ascertain the discharge of waste water and the health hazard and nuisance caused to the village*. Panchayat secretary informed that the Health Department is being approached by the Panchayat given the technical issues involved in the matter. *Local NGOs including the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum had petitioned to the Colva Panchayat to serve notices *on the hotels and establishments responsible for discharging the sewage and waste waters in the storm drains. In fact, it was pointed out that the situation has reached alarming proportions in the backyard of some of the hotels in the absence of common sewage treatment plant in the village. Complaint are galore that waste water flows down into the storm water drains before emptying into the water creek at the entrance to the world famous Colva beach. Incidentally, the Goa State Pollution Control Board had recently ordered closure of a hotel in Colva for violating the sanitary conditions and causing pollution in the area by the discharge of waste waters. http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/Colva-VP-serves-show-cause-notices-on-6-establishments/35351.html *‘Revoke construction license’* HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 31 *The former Sarpanch of Orlim Patrick Cardozo has demanded the revocation of the construction license issued to a mega housing project for alleged misrepresentation of the material facts*. Cardozo said the project comprising of *66 flats, two shops, a gymnasium, a club and a swimming pool* has been granted the license when the existing road is hardly three metre wide as against the proposed eight meter road shown in the plan. “*This imaginary depiction of a proposed road of width of eight metres in the site plan is misappropriation of the material on record. It has been submitted by the applications just to get it approved*”, he said. The former sarpanch said he had requested the Town Planner to revoke immediately the NOC granted to the builder, but in vain, adding that no action has been forthcoming either from the Town Planner or from the Panchayat body. “This callous attitude on their part helps the builder to carry on their illegal construction work and commit other irregularities”, Cardozo added. He stated that the Goa Pollution Control Board had conducted site inspection of the building site based on his letter, but lamented that the requisition made by the Board has not been complied till date. http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/lsquo-Revoke-construction-license-rsquo/35344.html -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S-1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mapusa 403507 Goa Ph +91-9822982676;91-832-2255913 www.ofai.org www.pgsorganic.in Horticulture.Facilitation.Networking -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
