Chicalim locals say ‘illegal’ road widening done for private parties

Vasco: The Chicalim Bio-Crusaders, members of the Chicalim gram sabha and Chicalim village development committee (VDC) have demanded an impartial inquiry into a road widening activity being carried out in their village. They have called for immediate stoppage of works being carried out on the road leading to the Chicalim panchayat.
The villagers held a peaceful protest on Saturday evening.Members of the VDC said that they were shocked to see several trees bulldozed and buried in the earth fill and added that the illegality has been carried out in an alleged private forest area identified by the state-level expert committee (Thomas and Araujo Committee). There was no signboard providing any information of the works carried out and other details.
Member of Chicalim panchayat road safety committee Edwin Mascarenhas pointed out that the present work carried out in close vicinity and adjacent to Prabhu Realtor’s project and also adjoining the upcoming Shantilal Builders project is totally beyond the scope of the PWD.
Member of the Chicalim panchayat supervisory committee and chairperson of the biodiversity heritage site committee of the Chicalim biodiversity management committee, Cyril Fernandes, questioned the nature of works carried out with public funds.
Fernandes said that the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority had not only failed to respond to the complaints, it did not even inquire into these illegalities.
Ex-sarpanch of the Chicalim panchayat and present VDC member, Pratap Mardolkar has threatened that the villagers will take up this issue with higher authorities and the vigilance department to demand action against all PWD officials involved in misusing public money for private entities in such a manner.
The local parish priest Fr Bolmax Pereira appealed to the villagers to remain united and not succumb to pressure tactics of the politicians.