PANAJI: Bhutani Infra’s project at Sancoale exposes the complete breakdown of governance with respect to irregular land conversions and bypassing of building regulations, said Goa Bachao Andolan (GBA). It also said that mega housing projects are receiving clearances due to the collusion of departments, apathy, ignorance, and corruption.
The GBA demanded the immediate revocation of all clearances given to the “ill-conceived” project on grounds of non-compliance, missing or misrepresented information. The chairperson of the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority must recall the technical clearances, while the director of panchayats must overturn the misdirected approvals given by the Sancoale panchayat, it said.
“We demand that the chief minister stop being a mute spectator and step in to listen to the people,” said GBA convener, Sabina Martins.
GBA has also come out in support of former sarpanch Premanand Naik, who is on a hunger strike until the permissions are revoked. “There will be no light for Goa if this game of land conversions and bypassing of building regulations continue,” said GBA secretary Reboni Saha.
GBA said no environmental clearance was taken for the project, which has an 85,886sqm built-up area, even though such a clearance is mandatory for projects above 20,000sqm. It also mentioned that the project has no road access, which is critical for a large project, and that the land was once classified as private forest.
