MARGAO: Villagers of Betalbatim voiced their strong opposition to mega construction projects in the village, during the gram sabha held on Sunday.
Pointing to a number of people from outside Goa investing in properties in the village, which were later sold at exorbitant prices, villagers asserted that they would not allow their land to be used for mega construction projects.
They expressed their disapproval of the approvals granted to such projects even without verifying the legalities of them.
Former minister Mickky Pacheco also engaged in a heated argument with the panchayat authorities at the gram sabha over the issue.
He questioned the panchayat over NOCs granted to several projects in the village despite objections from locals.
Pacheco demanded that the applications for approvals for all mega construction projects be routed through the panchayat.
Criticising the inaction of the panchayat regarding the alleged illegalities in the mega projects, despite complaints from locals, Pacheco demanded that the panchayat act promptly on such complaints.
Villagers also took the panchayat body to task over its failure to conduct meetings of the village development committee and the biodiversity management committee regularly as mandated.
They also slammed the panchayat for not holding the gram sabhas regularly.
