MAPUSA
The Saligao gram sabha on Sunday unanimously opposed the proposed 24-unit residential project in the village, with the sarpanch and panchayat secretary blaming the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department for failing to attend site inspections related to the controversial project.
Villagers also passed a resolution calling for the protection of agricultural land, paddy fields, water bodies and eco-sensitive areas from conversion.
Raising the issue of the proposed project, local resident Liberata Madeira sought details from the ward member on its present status. She also asked Sarpanch Lucas Remedios and the panchayat secretary to explain the action taken on a memorandum submitted by the Block Development Officer (BDO).
Madeira demanded that all relevant documents related to the project be tabled before the gram sabha and details of the action taken be made available to members in the interest of transparency.
While the sarpanch and secretary blamed the TCP Department for failing to attend the site inspections, the ward member blamed priests for allegedly selling the property to outsiders. Despite the exchange of blame, villagers maintained their opposition to the proposed project.
Moving the resolution on land protection, local resident Pradeep Padgaonkar said farmers in Saligao had cultivated agricultural land and harvested different crops across seasons for generations.
He said it was the responsibility of villagers to protect agricultural fields, village lands and hills, warning that weakening existing land-use protections could have serious environmental and planning consequences. He pointed out that several gram sabhas across Goa had already passed similar resolutions and said Saligao was late in taking a stand.
The resolution called for the outright rejection of proposals seeking to convert agricultural land into settlement zones, retention of existing protective zoning and a detailed environmental and planning impact assessment before any future changes.
It also resolved that the panchayat take measures to oppose such conversions and submit formal objections to the Chief Town Planner. The gram sabha further called for exploring legal remedies, forwarding copies of the resolution to senior government authorities and keeping standard objection letters at the panchayat office.
Villagers also demanded that no more mega projects be sanctioned in Saligao and that a carrying-capacity study be conducted. Padgaonkar urged citizens and neighbouring panchayats to form a united front against any dilution of Goa’s land protection laws.
Madeira also raised the issue of garbage vehicles from Calangute and Arpora using the interior Arrarim road, causing inconvenience to residents and public transport. She sought a signboard near the crematorium restricting four-wheelers on the narrow road meant for two-wheelers, citing the increasing movement of tourist vehicles along the stretch.
