PANAJI
Concerns are brewing among residents from Naroa in Bicholim and the nearby villages of Divar, Akhada and Vanxim over the proposed Aarti Ghat project encroaching upon land they long used as a Hindu crematorium and holds religious significance.
On Sunday, several residents from Divar, Naroa, Akhada, Vanxim and nearby areas gathered at the site to stage a protest where they said that the land holds deep religious and cultural significance for them and must remain undisturbed.
Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Cumbharjua MLA Rajesh Phaldessai also joined the protesters and backed their demand to halt the project.
He said that the crematorium is over 200 years old and some vested interests are trying to usurp the land warning if there is no solution within three days, the protest will be escalated.
The protesting villagers meanwhile, said that their concerns are not only about the land but their heritage.
"We are not against development but it should not be at the cost of our religious and cultural sentiments," one of the protesters said.
The project is to be undertaken by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), and is estimated to cost over Rs 10 crore. It is part of the State government's push for 'Spiritual Tourism'.
It is spread across nearly 20,000 square metres of land and includes plans for temporary riverside structures to host the Ghat Aarti, a floating jetty, puja mandap, platform, ticket booth and seating arrangements for visitors.
Residents who were protesting fear that the development will commercialise a sacred space and erase centuries-old traditions.
They claimed that the crematorium land has been in use for generations and should be protected, not converted into a tourist attraction. The protestors also voiced concern that the project smacks of the government's priority for tourism revenues at the cost of cultural preservation.
Efforts on Sunday to contact officials of the GTDC to seek a detailed reply to the villagers' concerns proved futile.
