PANJIM: Amidst chaos, confusion and heated arguments, the Chimbel Gram Sabha on Sunday resolved in support of Information Technology (IT) Park in their village, thus paving way for setting up of the long pending project of the BJP-led government. The anti-IT park villagers have accused the panchayat body of surrendering to political pressure.
The Gram Sabha meeting chaired by Sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar witnessed much drama and uproar right from the start, when some villagers raised objection to holding of the meeting in a school class-room, thus failing to accommodate the villagers who had gathered to attend the meeting. The villagers have been demanding that the gram sabha be held in open space.
The villagers were divided into two groups those in favour of the IT park and those against the project. The anti-IT park crusaders pointed out that the locals from Indira Nagar, mostly the migrants, who never turned up any time earlier for Gram Sabha were seen in Sunday's meeting with play carts shouting in favour of the project.
Heavy police force was deployed for the meeting. They had to intervene at regular intervals to ensure smooth functioning. As the chaos continued, the Sarpanch ended the meeting abruptly without discussing any other agenda.
Speaking to media persons, Kunkolkar said that the meeting has resolved in favour of setting up of IT Park in the village. He said that government has assured employment to the locals and also other required facilities like playground, primary health centre, etc for the villagers.
Kunkolkar also reiterated the demand for a white paper on the project, failing which they “may withdraw the resolution and not allow the project to take shape.”
During the meeting, villager Govind Shirodkar pointed out that as compared to Chimbel Village there are more educated cum graduate people in Porvorim and as well as in Dona Paula and such IT Park project should be shifted there. He also said that their objection is not the IT Park but having it in Chimbel.
Another villager, Tukaram Kunkalker threw some light on growing unemployment in the village. He explained instead of IT Park, Green agricultural project with advance technology will take care of unemployment in much better way and that too without disturbing hilly famous lake and forest green environment. He displayed an agricultural base plan prepared by a villager.
The anti-IT park crusaders expressed their strong objection to the passing of the resolution and have decided to approach Directorate of Panchayats against the illegal proceedings.
They have also planned to approach the court challenging the project, which is spread across 5.5 lakh sq mts. The members pointed out that one of the lakes, which supplied water to Panjim during the Portuguese era, will be destroyed.