Hundreds of protesters take part in the ‘maha andolan’ at Old Goa on Friday.
PANAJI
The area around the Gandhi Chowk in Old Goa witnessed a massive show of strength on Friday as villagers from Chimbel, joined by NGOs, social activists and Opposition leaders, staged a 'Maha Andolan' against the proposed Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh projects at Kadamba Plateau.
The protest, originally planned at Azad Maidan in Panaji, was shifted to Gandhi Chowk in Old Goa after the administration overnight imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (formerly Section 144 of IPC), prohibiting public gatherings in the capital.
By 10 am, the square was packed with the protesters chanting slogans such as “Our land, our right”.
The administration had deployed a heavy posse of police personnel to prevent untoward incidents.
Despite assurances from the government, including a press release and a letter from the Director of Tourism officially promising the agitators relocation of the Unity Mall, villagers said they would not relent until they receive legally valid communication from all concerned departments.
They insisted that both projects must be officially declared shifted from Chimbel and demanded restoration of the construction site to its original condition.
The protesters also called for re-notification of Toyyar lake as a wetland, by incorporating objections and suggestions submitted by locals even as they argued that without such recognition, the biodiversity of Chimbel and the surrounding area remains under threat.
Opposition leaders lent strong support to the agitation.
Congress State president Amit Patkar accused the government of “unplanned work” and of trying to “kill time by pretending to relocate” instead of cancelling the projects outright.
Opposition leader Yuri Alemao slammed the authorities for ignoring local sentiments.
“This government is trying to impose the project without considering the people,"” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party State president, Valmiki Naik along with other leaders including Jack Sukhija and Dr Vibhas Prabhudesai, also joined the agitation.
Govind Shirodkar, the chairman of the Chimbel Biodiversity Committee and a leading face of the protests, stressed that the agitation was not limited to the two projects but part of a larger movement against uncontrolled development in Goa.
“Every action that degrades the environment will be opposed,” he declared.
As the agitation continues, distrust between villagers and the government remains high and the government's next move will be closely watched, for now.
