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----------------------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Documentation Service & circulated by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network (GOA CAN)<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ph:2252660 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Land acquisition for highway project to hit Nuvem residents ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- by Roque Dias
Margao March 13: A cemetery, dozen of bungalows and buildings in Nuvem and Navelim besides 'panchayat ghor' are among the 100-odd structures in Verna facing the threat of demolition, if one goes by the latest circular of the Directorate of Panchayat.
The directorate in a circular dated February 13 had informed all the panchayats in the state to leave setback area of 75 meters on either side of the National Highway (No 17).This circular was issued, according to the Director of Panchayat, taking into consideration the proposal of the government to widen the existing NH 17 to four-lane road.
The state government has approved the freezing activities within the 75 meters of land on either side of the NH 17. As such, the village panchayats are cautioned not to allow the construction activities along this national highway. The Director also informed about government's plan to the executive engineers of all the concerned offices to observe the instructions forwarded to them.
Ironically, the elected representatives of affected villages claim that state
government did not took the villagers into confidence while drafting the circular.
"We stopped giving permission to construct houses within the prescribed area,"
the secretary of Nuvem and Betalbatim, Mr Yusuf Shaikh informed.
When contacted, the Verna panchayat officials revealed that a resolution,
soon after they received the circular, was taken requesting to denotify the same.
However, later it was "rejected".
One of the affected residents said, "the state government before preparing
such circulars, they should study the consequences of it. Simultaneously,
the process of acquiring the land by compensating fully should be initiated."
"I have spent nearly Rs 35 lakh to erect the building. How can I let it to demolish.
I will seek the legal opinion over the circular," an angry building owner said
when informed about the circular.
Interestingly, those who build their houses with the blessing of the former and
current sarpanchas and secretaries along the national highways are a worried
lot here. According to the sources, these houses which do not have legal
documents will be skipped from compensations.
Besides Salcete, many other village panchayats are also affected by the circular.
When tried to contact the Director of Panchayat, Mr P M Borkar,
for his comments in Margao on Thursday, he was seen busy
attending the visitors.
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The Navhind Times 14/03/03 page 3
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