"I will fight for my village with my life"

Interview with Orlando da Silva, Deputy Sarpanch of Carmona Village Panchayat and activist against the K Raheja mega-project.

| AUGUST 04, 2012, 11:52 AM IST
"I will fight for my village with my life"

What is the current status ofthe proposed K Raheja mega-project?

The project isstalled because there is no access road of 10 meters. Also, since the projectwas to be on the banks of river Sal, an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) studyneeds to be submitted to the Environment Board.

What was the tune of land purchasedand the money involved, and did this affect land rates in Carmona?

The Mumbai-basedbuilder purchased huge tracts of land measuring 88,000 sq. m from a land-ownerin Margao. The land was purchased for Rs. 2500 per sq m. by Fir Biotech IndiaLtd. Thereafter a sale deed was made by Fir Biotech India Ltd. to K RahejaUniversal for Rs. 4500 per sq m. The land rates in Carmona which were aroundRs. 700 – Rs 1000 per sq m. before K Raheja acquired the land, shot up to Rs.8000 to Rs. 10000 per sq m. The villagers cannot afford these prices.

Since the plots bought by thebuilders are located on the banks of river Sal, in what way would the projectaffect the river?

When we saw thehousing plans of the project, we were chagrined because the plans revealed thata sewage pipeline in the name of a water drain was laid in the river Sal. RiverSal is our lifeline. It recharges the water table of the locality and is knownto be a breeding place for various types of shellfish. The sewage pipeline hasnot been extracted from the river.

Though the builders did not geta licence for construction, what damage was done by the licence they got tobuild a boundary wall?

There werearound 10,000 – 15,000 coconut trees in the property, all of which wereillegally felled. There were woods which were destroyed. Though the builderswere fined by the Forest Department, they paid the fine and went scot free. Thewoods were home to wildlife such as peacocks, jackals, pythons, etc. When thetrees were felled, the animals fled. The peacocks were seen on the river banks.

What are the development plansfor Carmona?

Neither the KRaheja project nor any other mega-project will see the light of the day.Agriculture is being revived and a new Sports Complex is under construction.

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