By Our Special Correspondent

PANAJI (GOA)

 As many as ten villages from St Cruz and St Andre constituency is removed from the jurisdiction of the Greater Panjim Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA) with immediate effect.

Taleigao and Kadamba plateau with total four villages will continue to be part of GPPDA.  This was announced today morning by the Minister for Town and Country Planning Vijai Sardesai.

Sardesai said that he surrenders to the will of the people. “My sole objective as an elected representative of the people is to listen to the voice of the people and act in their interest,” he stated.

“The cry of the people is ‘the voice of Goa’ and there is no better time to heed to it than this holy weekend. Therefore, taking the wishes of the people as my command, and standing by the age old adage that humanity is the foundation for all other virtues, I declare removal of villages from GPPDA” Sardesai said.

The villagers of St Curz, Chimble, Batim, Curca-Bambolim, Siridao, Gancim, had raised strong objection to their inclusion in the GPPDA.

Local St Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes (Congress) and St Andre MLA Francis Silveria (Congress), had resigned as members of the GPPDA, headed by Goa Forward Partry leader Atanasio Monserrate, as part of the protest.

Sardesai blamed the local MLAs for misleading TCP Board for inclusion of these villages into planning area. “The GPPDA was constituted with the include villages after the elected representatives from St Cruz, St Andre made written request to my department. They mislead us and so also misread the voice of their people,” he said.

“Subsequently, these elected representatives retracted their views after people protested,” he commented.