VASCO
In a significant development, the QuelossimPanchayat on Friday secured a stay from the Deputy Director of Panchayats onthe provisional No Objection Certificate (NOC) that had earlier been granted bythe Block Development Officer (BDO) for a proposed floating resort project inthe village.
The stay order has brought temporary relief tovillagers and the Panchayat, who have been opposing the project, claiming itcould adversely impact the local environment, fishing activities and thetraditional character of the village.
Panchayat members and local residents welcomedthe Deputy Director's decision but maintained that the stay is only an interimrelief and that they would continue their efforts until the provisional NOC ispermanently revoked.
They expressed gratitude to the villagers forremaining united in opposing the project and thanked Cortalim MLA Anton Vas forextending his support to the cause.
According to Panchayat representatives, theMLA played an important role in taking up the matter with authorities concernedand putting pressure to ensure that the stay order was granted.
The proposed floating resort project has beenunder discussion since 2012 and has faced sustained opposition from villagersover the years. Residents have repeatedly voiced concerns over its potentialenvironmental impact and its effect on the livelihoods of the local fishingcommunity.
The Panchayat reiterated that it wouldcontinue to pursue all legal and administrative avenues to safeguard theinterests of the village. Villagers also urged the authorities to take theirconcerns into consideration before taking any final decision on the proposedproject.
The development has been welcomed byresidents, who described the stay order as a positive step in theirlong-standing struggle, while stressing that the battle against the floatingresort proposal is far from over.
