MARGAO
The Navelim Village Panchayat on Monday decided to take further action in respect of the housing project only after receiving the joint inspection report from the Town and Country Planning department and a reply from the Additional Director of Panchayats.
The panchayat body meeting, chaired by Sarpanch Paul Pereira and held on Monday, discussed the controversial housing project, more so after the panchayat secretary had issued the construction licence for the project by invoking the “deeming” provision when the panchayat had resolved to reject the application for the construction licence.
Social activist Pratima Coutinho and others visited the panchayat on Monday after learning about the meeting. The sarpanch, however, explained to the delegation that the meeting was a routine one convened by the panchayat body and not specifically related to the housing project.
The sarpanch later told the media after the meeting that the panchayat will take the next course of action after receiving the joint inspection report from the TCP. He said the TCP official was expected to submit the inspection report to the department’s higher-ups on Monday or Tuesday. “Once the inspection report is compiled and submitted to the panchayat body, necessary action will be initiated by the panchayat,” he said.
On whether the panchayat would go in appeal before the panchayat authorities against the panchayat secretary’s decision to issue the construction licence by invoking the deeming clause, the sarpanch said the panchayat has already written to the Additional Director of Panchayats regarding the action of the panchayat secretary, adding that the panchayat will take a call after receiving a reply from the Additional Director.
