Colva: A heated exchange broke out on Wednesday between the Benaulim MP Venzy Viegas And Cavelossim sarpanch Dixon Vaz while inspecting former Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra’s controversial property in Cavelossim. They accused each other of favoring the international cricketer in the ongoing dispute over alleged legal violations coastal regulations.
Viegas accused the sarpanch of turning a blind eye to the illegal construction of a road in a no-development zone (NDZ), regulated by the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) laws. In turn, Vaz accused the MP of trying to protect Nehra’s property. erosion by stacking sandbags at the boundary of the property.
Defending his position, Vaz said the Cavelossim panchayat had already issued a notice to stop work in June. He said restoration of the damaged sand dune was under the jurisdiction of the coastal authorities and not the local panchayat.
But Viegas said he had proposed installing sandbags along three stretches of his constituency’s coastline, saying if the coastal authority had already started such work it was just a coincidence . “I am not responsible for when and where the coastal authority chooses to start its projects,” he said.
During the verbal scuffle, a local resident confronted Viegas, questioning whether the MP had consulted the panchayat before proposing the sandbagging initiative. The MP did not provide a clear answer.
Vaz also faced questions from the public, such as when the panchayat would take further action against Nehra for the alleged violations and restore the land to its original state.
The controversy surrounding Nehra’s property in Cavelossim has intensified with the former cricketer receiving a show cause notice from the panchayat.
He faces allegations of building a road and felling trees in the NDZ, actions that violate CRZ regulations.
Local residents have called for immediate action to restore the land and remove any illegal construction.