Locals complain about structure in vicinity of airport

Times of India | 2 days ago | 24-09-2022 | 07:40 am

Panaji: Residents of Dabolim have filed a complaint with the South Goa collector and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) alleging that unauthorised structures have been erected along the highway close to the Goa International Airport. The alleged illegal structures have been erected on land that belongs to the Sancoale comunidade but authorities are turning a blind eye to the developments, they said. The locals have written to the Momugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA), South Goa collector, Indian Navy, Mormugao deputy collector and the administrator for comunidades seeking their intervention. “Some construction work is being undertaken at the Dabolim junction, which belongs to the Sancoale comunidade. Enquiries reveal that this construction work has no permission from any local body including the panchayat or the MPDA,” Satish Kamtikar, a local, said. He said the unauthorised structure is in defiance of the high court’s order regarding construction around the airport. He also said the structure is along NH17-B and the NHAI rules state that no construction shall be permitted within 40m from the centre of the road. “No construction should be allowed within 500m of the Indian Navy compound and in the present case, the construction is in close vicinity of the compound,” Kamtikar stated in his complaint to the various authorities. Speaking to TOI, Kamtikar said that despite several reminders, state authorities have failed to act. The alleged illegal structures have been erected on land that belongs to the Sancoale comunidade but the authorities are turning a blind eye to it, the Dabolim residents said

Read more

Share:

Similar News

In progressive Goa, almost no takers for vasectomies, just two last year

Times of India | 22 hours ago | 26-09-2022 | 08:49 am

Times of India

22 hours ago | 26-09-2022 | 08:49 am

PANAJI: On health parameters, Goa is counted among the progressive states, yet, when it comes to family planning measures, the responsibility lies with women as in other states. The state family welfare bureau of the directorate of health services recorded just two vasectomies, one each for North and South Goa, last year. Dr Rajendra Borkar, who heads the bureau, said that though there are routine awareness programmes, the male response for family welfare measures is poor. The state’s fertility rate being 1.3 — a sufficiently good count — family planning does not pose a problem. With Goa being literate and progressive, it was expected that men would shoulder the responsibility of family planning, but Borkar said that people can’t be dictated to choose a certain method of contraception. “Anyway, we have a low birth rate. We can’t be telling people to do this and that,” he said. Health experts said that in general men associate vasectomy with impotence and are reluctant to opt for the procedure, and women are left with no choice but to take measures. “Men believe they will turn impotent if they have a vasectomy, but this is not true. Overall we see more tubectomies,” said Dr Rini Naik, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. Several women also choose to have a permanent sterilisation done immediately after delivery. “Women know the amount of pain they will have to bear while giving birth, and the effort and time they will need to put in to raise a child. So, naturally, they take the initiative where husbands fail,” Naik said. Naik said she has seen cases of husbands not opting for a vasectomy even where their wives had a health condition and ideally should not have been the one to have a procedure done. Another gynaecologist said that since doctors know the trend and find it difficult to convince unwilling husbands, women are counselled to adopt a family planning procedure. Dr Shradha Patil, a gynaecologist who practices in South Goa, said that generally vasectomies are not given much importance in Goa. “We were taught more about tubal ligation. Somehow vasectomies are on the back burner and we don’t know why,” Patil said. Women, she said, are also likely to rely on oral contraception if the husband works abroad and may be home two to three months a year. “Several of my clients have their husbands working abroad and they prefer oral contraction. For a short-term, oral contraceptive is a fantastic method,” she said. Also, the Goan population being well educated, she said, couples choose a natural method of contraception. The abortion rate is also not high is Goa.

10,000 sanads for forest land in 18 months: Goa CM Pramod Sawant

Times of India | 1 day ago | 25-09-2022 | 07:50 am

Times of India

1 day ago | 25-09-2022 | 07:50 am

MARGAO: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday handed over land title documents (sanads) for forest land under occupation to several beneficiaries under the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. Addressing the gathering at a function held at the south Goa collectorate, Sawant said that the government has set a target of handing over 10,000 sanads to claimants of both individual and community rights category, within the next 12 to 18 months. Sawant said that his government was working on the Antyodaya principle, and said that being able to hand over titles to rightful claimants of forest land under the Act was his biggest achievement since becoming the chief minister. “There were nearly 10,000 applications pending under the Act whenI became the chief minister in 2019. No sanad was given to any claimant before that. So far 2,000 to 2,500 sanads have been handed over to beneficiaries. The rest will be cleared in due course,” he said. He urged beneficiaries not to sell the agricultural land they have now come to own, but cultivate it with the assistance of the agriculture department. Sawant also inaugurated the FRC Sanad Information System portal that will facilitate beneficiaries under the Act to obtain their land title documents online. “This is yet another step in our mission towards making Goa swayampurna (self-reliant),” Sawant said. Despite a large number of claims, sources said lack of documentation by claimants, the requirement of 50% quorum at gram sabhas have turned out to be major impediments in speedy processing of claims.

Odisha man stabs himself at Margao railway station

Times of India | 3 days ago | 23-09-2022 | 11:27 am

Times of India

3 days ago | 23-09-2022 | 11:27 am

MARGAO: Saroj Bariha, 28, a native of Odisha, who had come to Goa in search of work, stabbed himself with a knife at a fast food stall near the Margao railway station on Thursday. Police said that Bariha and his two other companions came by train from Odisha and got down at the Margao railway station. “While they were having snacks at a nearby food stall, Bariha, all of a sudden snatched a knife from the vendor and inflicted injuries on his neck,” police said. He was rushed to the South Goa district hospital, Margao, where he is undergoing treatment. Police said that he is learnt to be of unsound mind.

Anticipating protest by Cong, police deployed outside Kamat’s home

Times of India | 4 days ago | 22-09-2022 | 11:53 pm

Times of India

4 days ago | 22-09-2022 | 11:53 pm

Margao: Anticipating protests by Congress workers, a strong posse of policemen was deployed near the residence of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat at Malbhat, Margao, for the major part of the day on Thursday. However, though no protesters turned up, the police deployment on the busy road leading to Kamat’s house generated quite a curiosity among locals.Police sources said the deployment was to ensure that they were not caught off guard if protesters descended on Kamat’s residence as a part of their plan to hold protests outside the houses of all eight MLAs who defected to BJP recently. Salcete mamlatdar Laxmikant Dessai was present at the site to monitor the law and order situation.On Wednesday, Congress workers had held a protest near the house of Nuvem MLA Alexio Sequeira at Raia.Though adequate police force was deployed near his residence that prevented the protesters from coming close to his house, they burnt Sequeira’s effigy and shouted slogans condemning his action. The protesters were led by South Goa district president of the party Savio D’Silva, Congress mahila morcha president Beena Naik and others.The protesters said they would hold protests outside the residences of all eight MLAs and demand an explanation from them for “betraying” his voters by quitting Congress and joining BJP without consulting them.

Goa govt files FIR for disturbance near turtle nesting site

Times of India | 6 days ago | 20-09-2022 | 04:40 pm

Times of India

6 days ago | 20-09-2022 | 04:40 pm

PANAJI: The forest department has filed an FIR against a person for illegally felling around 30 trees and destroying sand dunes at Morjim, very close to the Olive Ridley turtle nesting site. "The department of forest has taken strict action where sand dunes are being destroyed and illegal tree-cutting is taking place, opposite survey no. 123/1 at Madlawada, Morjim. More than 30 trees have been felled illegally. An FIR has been filed against the individual involved and deputy conservator of forest (wildlife) has been notified because it is close to the turtle nesting and conservation site," said forest minister Vishwajit Rane. Rane, who is also the town and country planning (TCP) minister, said that the TCP department has also been advised to issue a stop work order and submit the file to the government for licence revocation. "This violation amounts to a disturbance and a violation of law and officials have been directed to take the necessary action. Protection and conservation of the environment is a significant and pressing area of concern to us, and anyone who violates the law will face severe consequences," Rane said. Earlier this year, Rane had announced that more areas in Goa will be notified for turtle conservation and that efforts will be made to place Goa on the country's sea turtle map. Last season, the highest number of turtles in recent years- 89- nested in Goa. Around 6,500 young hatchlings were successfully released into the sea. Turtle conservation is being carried out at four turtle nesting beaches in Goa- Morjim and Mandrem in North Goa, and Agonda and Galgibaga in South Goa. Olive Ridley turtles are one of five marine turtles that visit these beaches and lay eggs from November to April.

More News

Latest News