CANSAULIM MEET TURNS STORMY OVER MEGA PROJECT WHICH LOCALS OPPOSE

The gram sabha of Cansaulim village panchayat turned stormy over the issue of a proposed mega project in the village. A lengthy verbal duel between the panchayat body and the gram sabha members over the issue finally resulted in the gram sabha unanimously adopting a resolution demanding that the panchayat conduct a scrutiny of the project by taking the gram sabha into confidence.
Villagers also placed on record the need to conduct an environment impact assessment of all proposed mega projects by the authorities before granting them the approvals.

Pointing out to an earlier gram sabha resolution that asked the panchayat body to place all proposed mega housing or commercial projects before the gram sabha for discussion, agitated members took the panchayat body to task for forwarding the file regarding the proposed project in question to the town and country planning (TCP) department by ignoring the gram sabha, thus "violating" the gram sabha resolution.
While proponents of the project maintained that the gram sabha had no powers to stop a mega project possessing all statutory approvals, the gram sabha members maintained that it was binding on the panchayats to implement all such gram sabha resolutions that were in consonance with the law.
"We are only demanding that the panchayat body, along with villagers, scrutinize the project before approvals are granted. We want to make sure that the demography of the village will not be affected and that the existing coastal rural infrastructure is not burdened by this project," a gram sabha member said.A resolution suggested that a resource management plan be formulated by the panchayat by taking into consideration the views of skilled and resourceful persons from the village with a view to "preserving the fragile coastal ecology" of the village. It was suggested that a committee be formed under the plan that will also be empowered to scrutinize any proposed mega housing or commercial projects coming up in the village.
The issue of a public road leading to the beach through the property of a starred resort also came up for discussions with the villagers expressing their strong resentment over beachgoers being frisked by the resort's security personnel.