‘Will not issue licences for constructions in fields’

Panaji: To stop builders from purchasing agricultural land for construction and to encourage agricultural activities in Taleigao, the village panchayat of Taleigao, in a gram sabha on Sunday, unanimously resolved not to issue construction licences to builders for constructing ‘skyscrapers’ in agricultural fields in Taleigao.
The resolution was moved by Pundalik Raikar who said that fields in Taleigao are low lying areas that are protected under Regional Plan 2021.He alleged that the outline development plan (ODP), which is supposed to be in force in Taleigao, has “no legal standing”.
Raikar stated that builders are acting as per the ODP and constructing buildings in fields. He also raised the issue about debris being dumped in the agricultural fields and demanded that the panchayat take action against the offenders.
The panchayat has decided to send a copy of this unanimous resolution to the town and country planning department and North Goa planning and development authority.
Villagers also demanded that Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate and newly-elected zilla panchayat members attend the gram sabha so that they can pursue some of the decisions taken at the gram sabha.
Sarpanch Janu Rosario said that they would invite the local MLA and zilla panchayat members for the next gram sabha.
Taleigao panchayat has also placed a proposed budget of Rs 9.69 crore for the year 2015-2016 before the gram sabha. The panchayat has proposed to spend 1.62 crore for sanitation, public health and family welfare which includes door-to-door garbage collection, development of garbage sites with plantation, disposal of dead animals, a locked shed for garbage etc.
It also plans to spend 4.25 crore for public work including construction of drains, development of open spaces-cum-gardens, cleaning of rain drains, removal of roadside derbies etc.