Team Goemkarponn
MANDUR: Citing serious environmental and agricultural issues, the Azossim-Mandur gram sabha has strongly opposed the Konkan Railway Corporation’s (KRC) proposal to establish a railway station near Neura.
Sarpanch Prashant Naik promised that the panchayat would formally inform the authorities of its disapproval, and as a result, members unanimously supported a resolution calling for the project to be abandoned.
The twin villages, which are located between Agasaim and Neura and Corlim and Carambolim, are a portion of Goa’s vast Khazan territory. Locals worry that the project’s close proximity to Dongorim at Mandur may have a major effect on the delicate environment and local livelihoods.
Ramrao Wagh, an AAP leader and activist, cautioned that the project jeopardizes the livelihood of farmers as well as the Khazan lands in the area, which are extremely valuable both ecologically and culturally. He claimed that the concept for the railway station might be a ruse to create a coal hub nearby. Francis Po, a Panch member, also called on residents to oppose the plan.
The contentious awarding of an emergency house number (EHN) to a Mandur-registered company was another topic of intense discussion during the meeting. Wagh noted that although EHNs are normally only given to people who are in extreme need, this particular allocation helped a building on an 80,000 square meter tract of land that was classed as natural cover (forest).
He added that despite the site’s inadequate access, the power agency approved a three-phase connection, purportedly at a cost of lakhs of rupees. He asserted that the business is currently utilizing this relationship to promote land conversion, endangering the integrity of the nearby wooded regions.
Citing the applicant’s false facts, Sarpanch Naik said the panchayat might cancel the EHN. The person in question will receive a note asking for more information.
Additionally, the gram sabha discussed complaints of criminals causing nighttime disruptions near Mandur church and worries about a current project in Azossim causing damage to a natural spring. The panchayat promised to take these complaints seriously.
