Calangute: A gram sabha of the Calangute panchayat on Sunday was divided over a proposed study of Calangute’s carrying capacity, with some villagers claiming Delhi-based agency, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), was not the right one to do it.Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said after demands from villagers during many gram sabhas in the last couple of years, they had written to TERI and invited them to give a proposal to carry out the study. But it was not a final decision and they could look at other options.There were suggestions that the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) or some other agency could be approached for the carrying capacity study. It was also pointed out that such a study should be done by the town and country planning department. A resolution to approach other agencies was taken at the gram sabha.The sarpanch informed the gram sabha that the panchayat has issued notices to 66 establishments following complaints about Calangute stinking all the time because of sewerage being released into drains, nullahs and open spaces by hotels and other hospitality businesses. He said the panchayat is conducting surprise inspections of all places that are more than 20 years old to ensure that they overhaul their private sewage treatment plants (STPs) and soak pits. “We have fined some and some have rectified their STPs to ensure compliance,” he said.Opposing the proposed multi-level parking facility in Baga, AAP state vice-president Manuel Cardozo pointed out that all the large hotels and resorts have failed to keep parking areas as per plans, and have utilised the parking areas for other purposes, resulting in there being no parking place for tourists. He also said the GTDC parking area in Baga is underutilised. However, the sarpanch said the new parking facility is needed and the GSIDC is drawing up plans.Calangute comunidade managing committee members slammed the sarpanch for announcing a proposal for a sports complex at Boa Viagem on comunidade land without any consultation. “There is a procedure. You have to first make an application and it will have to be decided by the general body meeting,” the committee members said.
