Goemkarponn desk
PERNEM: The Pernem locals have threatened to agitate in fornt of CM’s residence if the Pernem Zoning Plan is not scrapped by October 17.
The Pernekars, at a meeting in Virnoda said, that they do not want a plan for taluka which has been drawn without taking the people of taluka into confidence.
“We are not satisfied with the deciasion to keep the plan in abeyance, we want the plan to be scrapped totally. Scrap the plan before October 17 or we will agitate before CM’s residence in Panaji,” resolved the meeting in presence of Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar.
The meeting was organised by Pernem Bachao Abhiyan near Mauli temple, Virnoda.
The Pernekars warned the government not to mistake their patience as their weakness and said if need be they will not hesitate the up the ante.
A road with a total width of 15 meters from Virnoda to Mansi in Virnoda Panchayat area is shown in the zoning plan which will destroy 45 houses and seven temples.
Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar, Mandrem Sarpanch Amit Sawant, Virnoda Sarpanch Sujata Thakur, Ex-Sarpanch Sitaram Parab, Panch Swati Malpekar, Harmal Sarpanch Bernard Fernandes Ex-Sarpanch Daniel D’Souza Agarwada Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes, Palaye Panch Sagar Thilwe Advocate Prasad Shahapurkar, Dayanand Manjrekar Adi citizens were present on the dais at the meeting attended by a large crowd.
Speaking on this occasion, MLA Jit Arolkar said that as per the zoning plan in Virnoda village, a 15 meter wide road on one side and a 45 meter wide road on the other side will be made by moving JCBs from private land to people’s houses.
“Government must not test teh patience of the Pernem people. Forget 45 houses, even if one inch of the land is touched, I will fight with them. I urge govenrment once agin to cancel this draconian plan,” he said.
He said the government must take the locals into confidence before notifying such a plan.
“Plan what people want and not what you want. We are not against development. People who have homes and shopsmust be included in the zoning plan,” he said.
“How can no development zone be converted to settlement?” he asked demanding total scrapping of the plan.
Advocate Amit Sawant, Sarpanch of Mandrem, said the people of Pernem are self-respecting people.
“We will never tolerate insult of our representative like this,” he said adding “TCP Minister announced that he had the MLA’s file and sent a notice to his farm house but we Pernekars do not believe in such things. But if any action is initiated on Arolkar, we will not tolerate.”
Adv Prasad Shahapurkar said that the people of Mandrem and the people of Pernem taluka have protested peacefully through democratic means many times and those movements were successful.
“But people’s representatives never participated in this movement. But for the first time in this history, Mandrem Constituency MLA Jit Arolkar has remained with the people. So the people and public will be with him, the government should abolish this plan immediately,” he said.
