Chimbel well not in plans given to us: TCP

PANAJI: The town and country planning department (TCP) conducted an inspection at the site of a traditional well, which was used for religious and cultural rites by villagers in Chimbel, and found that the developer had not shown the water source in the plans submitted to TCP.
The project at Gaulembhat, Chimbel, envisages construction of ten flats in an area of 1,000 sq m in a total plot area of 5,795 sq m, according to the developer Devendra K Sardesai.
"The developer had not shown the well in the plans (submitted to TCP)," Vertika Dagur, town planner said. Though it is also not shown in the survey records, the source should have been shown in the plans, she added.
Chimbel gram seva kala and sanskrutik manch (CGSKSM) had alleged that the promoter while seeking approval had not revealed the existence of the well.
The Goa Land Development and Building Regulation 2010 clearly specifies that the builder has to disclose all existing wells in the property, the villagers have said in a complaint to the TCP.
Alleging misrepresentation of facts by the promoter, they had demanded that TCP revoke its approval.
"We (TCP) will send the report to Chimbel panchayat shortly," Dagur said, declining to comment further.
At the gram sabha on April 24, the villagers had demanded that a 'stop work' order be issued and the project licence be revoked till the matter was probed.
Meanwhile, project promoter Surendra Sardesai admitted at a press conference on Thursday that he had not shown the well in the TCP plans, but in those that were submitted to health department. He said he would maintain a distance of 20 metres as per the rules from the soak pit.
The well is enclosed within the rectangular building complex, but assured that access to the public for its use would be maintained. The palanquin of the deity arrives in Chimbel from Marcel during the summer and is taken in procession around Chimbel.
"A flat on ground floor in the building will be earmarked for religious rites when the palanquin visits Chimbel (from Marcela)," Sardesai said.
But Sardesai said that the well, which the villagers claim to be 'Chimelkarin baim' is within the limits of the property, which belonged to Vasant Subraya Kamat. "I have sold the property to Sardesai," Kamat, who was present at the briefing, said.
"It is Kamat's household well and people were allowed to use it," Sardesai said, adding that there is no documentary evidence to prove otherwise.
The sarpanch who was present also endorsed the same view, though he was silent on this aspect at the gram sabha. But he had threatened to quit his post, amidst intense grilling by villagers, if it was buried by the developer in a bid to reassure them.