the goan I network
VASCO
Chicalim is set to be the first panchayat to reject the inclusion of the village in the list of urban areas, when the issue comes up for discussion at an extraordinary gram sabha on February 9.
Chicalim and 55 other villages have been notified as urban areas by the State government, evoking sharp reactions across Goa.
When contacted, a source confirmed that the Chicalim panchayat has issued notice convening an extraordinary gram sabha and the two points listed on the agenda are “to reject the inclusion of Chicalim from the list” and “to reject the notification of 56 villages as urban areas.”
“Chicalim village has been at the forefront in recent times in promoting its bottom-top planning process. The villagers were the first to prepare the CZMP for their village which was replicated by other villages later on.”
“The villagers have also prepared their own land-use plan and landmass register to be incorporated into the Mormugao PDA planning process. Recently, they have completed their Peoples Biodiversity Register and adopted it at the special gram sabha on January 26. It was followed by the formation of the VDC at the ordinary gram sabha on February 2,” said the source in the panchayat.
A member of the Chicalim Village Action Committee (CVAC) said efforts have been initiated by the Biodiversity Heritage Site Committee of the panchayat to declare the village as a heritage site in view of unique features that the village possesses such as the ecologically sensitive Chicalim bay.
“The villagers fear that all their efforts towards sustainable development of their village may go in vain through this draconian act of the State government.”
“The hard work to promote and protect Chicalim village, its unique biodiversity and heritage will be doomed by the classification of Chicalim as an urban area with reduced CRZ regulations.”
“The Chicalim villagers are gearing up to give a befitting reply to the government at the extraordinary gram sabha meet on February 9,” said the CVAC member.
