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MAUVIN TREADS CAUTIOUSLY
* Adopting a cautious approach, Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho says he will study the matter and take stakeholders into confidence, before arriving at a decision
* I will take appropriate decision after taking all stake holders into confidence. Since I do not change any decision that I take, I want to study the issue first, says Godinho
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After having driven out a shipyard in the village 11 years ago, locals of Chicalim are now bracing for yet another battle over a proposal to relocate the off-shore casinos in the Zuari river near Chicalim.
Voicing its concern to a proposal by the Chowgule group, the Chicalim Villagers Action Committee (CVAC) has decided to convene a public meeting near the Dabolim chapel on Sunday to take stock of the proposal and to chalk out its future course of action.
“The Goa State Bio-Diversity Board is planning to declare Chicalim as a heritage site. Anchoring of the off-shore casinos will destroy the fragile ecology,” said CVAC General Secretary Rui Araujo.
He also recalled of attempts to set up a shipyard in Chicalim, which was eventually shelved following stiff public opposition.
“In 2005, there were attempts to start a shipyard at Chicalim but villagers objected it tooth and nail as it would have cascading effect on ecology and marine life. After many agitations and protest, the people managed to stop shipyard from coming up at Chicalim,” said Araujo.
“It is a known fact that the off-shore casinos at Panjim are creating navigational problems in the Mandovi river, besides the sewerage issues. If and when they are anchored at Zuari river at Chicalim, there would be a similar impact,” feared Araujo.
Araujo claimed that the site was not conducive for off-shore casinos for other reasons.
“The proposed area is in the close proximity to the naval armament depot and the entire area is declared as a restricted area,” said Araujo.
Incidentally, there have been a few voices in the village who have supported the project on grounds that it could promote development of the area and provide the much-needed employment to locals. However, none of these people were willing to comment
The site proposed by Chowgule’s is behind the Chicalim Cottage Hosspital and next to the naval Armament depot.
According to locals, the Chowgule group had a small jetty just below the Chicalim cliff and there is no proper access to the jetty as it is the area is rocky and is full of trees and shrubs.
“A rough road runs parallel to the compound wall of the naval area and stops at the end of the compound wall. One had to park a vehicle at the top of the hillock and later walk their way down to the jetty,” a local told The Goan.
According to the Chowgule proposal signed by Gayatriraje Chowgule, the property, which is about 3 kms north of Dabolim airport and nearly 6 kms away from Mormugao harbour, is far away from MPT’s operational area.
This property, measuring 35,000 sq mtrs belonging to Daulat Chowgule, has two accesses “ from Chicalim headland interconnecting the Vasco entry and from below the Chicalim church through the village.
“As the village road is blocked at the end at a distance of 400 metres from the location, there is no disturbance from the villagers. Additionally, there is private parking available in this property which has internal roads,” claims the proposal.
