Delegation of panchayat members, farmers to also seek Kamat’s intervention
MARGAO
With land filling at the Tolleaband water body in Benaulim for the proposed western bypass gaining momentum in the last few days, the Benaulim panchayat and the committee constituted to pursue the western bypass matter have decided to knock the door of the High Court with a plea to build the bypass on stilts.
It was further decided to lead a delegation of the panchayat body and the farmers to Margao MLA Digambar Kamat seeking his intervention in the matter to use his good offices and save both Benaulim and Margao from inundation in the future.
This became evident at a joint meeting of the panchayat body headed by Sarpanch Xavier Pereira, members of the western bypass committee and the farmers held at the village panchayat on Friday. The decision was taken after the resource person Avinash Tavares explained the participants on the various legal options available to the panchayat and the farmers on the issue.
After the meeting, Sarpanch Xavier told media that the meeting has decided to move the High Court after the panel receives the feedback and final decision from the lawyer. “The lawyer has asked for one-week time to get back to the panchayat body and the western bypass panel. The panchayat would move the High Court after a week’s time,” the sarpanch said.
He said the lawyer has asked for time to study the matter before he gets back to the panchayat next week.
When asked to shed light on the delay in filing the petition in the Court, Xavier conceded that though the panchayat and the panel had decided to approach the Court, they could not get the lawyers to fight the case.
The Sarpanch pointed out that the situation would not have arisen if the government and the district Collector had to take the villagers into confidence. “When the proposal for western bypass was first mooted, the Collector ought to have approached the panchayat for its say since the villagers understand better the ground reality. In this case, the authorities had never taken the say of the villagers. This would have helped the authorities to take a proper decision,” he said.
“The authorities issue the conversion sanads for land conversion and the people later question the panchayat body for the decision. The government has done injustice on the people of Benaulim by approving the western bypass alignment through the water catchment areas including the Tolleaband water body,” the sarpanch added.
Former sarpanch Royla Fernandes told the media that the meeting has decided to approach former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat since any land filling in Benaulim will not only affect the village, but Margao and Fatorda as well. “Kamat is one person who can use his good offices to save Benaulim as well as Margao from flooding,” she said.
She pointed out the delay in approaching the Court since the decision was taken way back in April 2022 to knock the doors of the Judiciary for relief and to issue directions to the government to build the bypass passing through the village on stilts.
