MARGAO
An extraordinary gram sabha meeting of the Loutolim village panchayat on Sunday unanimously rejected the in-principle approval granted by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board for a sports/cricket academy in the village.
At the meeting chaired by Sarpanch Rylon Fernandes, gram sabha members unanimously resolved to oppose the proposed project, comprising a cricket academy-cum-housing villas.
The gram sabha directed the Loutolim panchayat to forward its objections to the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board, conveying the villagers’ strong opposition to the project.
The extraordinary gram sabha was convened following a proclamation issued by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board granting in-principle approval to the project and inviting public objections.
After the meeting, Sarpanch Rylon said the extraordinary gram sabha was convened after the Goa IPB invited public objections. Members unanimously opposed the proposed sports academy on 25,000 sqm of land, and the panchayat will forward the resolution to the IPB.
Gram sabha member Basil D’Costa alleged that the promoter had already built and inaugurated a cricket stadium at Loutolim without obtaining the mandatory conversion sanad, yet secured in-principle approval from the Goa IPB. He said villagers have strongly objected to the project and will oppose it resolutely.
Another member Xavier Fernandes said the village had spoken in one voice against the academy, asserting that residents would resist any project harming hills, fields and khazans, even if it meant taking to the streets or approaching the judiciary.
Franky Monteiro cautioned the government against testing villagers’ patience, citing severe depletion of groundwater due to projects on the Loutolim plateau. He questioned how the promoter would meet a daily water requirement of 25,000 litres when residents face shortages. He alleged the proposal was essentially a real estate venture, including hostels, a museum and villas with swimming pools, disguised as a cricket academy.
