Aldona residents to form action group
PORVORIM, APRIL 9 - A group of residents from Aldona have decided to form an action group 'Aldona Bachao Abhiyan' (ABA) to monitor activities and projects in the village.
The decision to form the ABA was taken at a meeting of residents from Carona-Panth and Lankdem wards of Aldona on Wednesday, to discuss issues arising from the controversial housing project at Carona.
The members present also insisted that the Gram Sabha should be consulted on all major development projects as per Resolution 2 of the Gram Sabha meeting held on July 1, 2007.
"Lankdem is just one of the many projects proposed for construction in the jurisdiction of Aldona Panchayat. After the publicity given to the cable-stayed bridge connecting Aldona mainland to Corjuem since IFFI 2004, Aldona has caught the fascination of the rich and the famous in India and abroad," stated a press note by Mariette Correa, spokesperson of the ABA ad hoc committee.
"The vast network of rivers and rivulets in Aldona and its stunning scenic beauty have been utilised by the promoters to boost demand for exclusive villas and gated communities in Aldona," she added.
Ms Correa claimed this is a "very dangerous" trend for a village community like Aldona, which has been traditionally close-knit but an open community.
"Quite a few of the NRI Aldonkars have expressed a view that the villagers should be allowed to plan the development of their village in a way that is suitable to them," Ms Correa said.
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