Canacona: The gram sabha of Loliem-Polem village panchayat held on Sunday saw adoption of six resolutions highlighting key environmental, planning and governance concerns.
Resolutions moved by Manoj Prabhugaonkar and Prashant Pagi were discussed at length, with major deliberations centred on the Draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019. Pagi said there are errors in the preparation of CZMP maps and stressed that villagers were not given adequate time or prior notice to study them. He demanded that the maps be made available well in advance to prevent injustice to traditional coastal communities.
The gram sabha reiterated that its 2016 resolution to conserve plateau lands for traditional purposes remains valid and resolved to issue strong reminders to departments attempting to introduce projects in these eco-sensitive areas. On a proposal routed through the Tourism Department to install a statue of Lord Parshuram on plateau land, Prabhugaonkar, who is also chairperson of the Biodiversity Management Committee, said that the proposed site falls in a highly eco-sensitive zone.
Pagi said that such initiatives could open the plateau to unwanted concrete development.
Villager Sam Naik raised objections to a Rs 3.5-crore commercial project proposed by the panchayat, questioning the lack of consultation and limited land availability. He also flagged alleged irregularities in crematorium works, prompting the gram sabha to direct the panchayat to take up the matter with the contractor and the concerned engineer.
Resolutions were also passed demanding that Canacona taluka continue with Margao as district headquarters, that the eco-sensitive Madditolop plateau remain unchanged, and that the 2016 resolution to preserve the Bhagwati plateau in its pristine form be upheld.
In the absence of the sarpanch, deputy sarpanch Ashutosh Bandekar chaired the meeting, attended by six panch members and 68 villagers.
