The State government, bowing to intense public pressure and fearing a backlash in the coming assembly elections on Saturday withdrew it's controversial May 2026 circular proposing 56 villages across Goa as urban areas. Incidentally, a similar exercise had sparked strong public protests in January 2020, forcing the government to withdraw the proposal within a month on February 18, 2020. The government might soon bring the same circular once again after the elections are over. The reason why Goans have raised their voice against the government's urbanisation plan is because they have seen how the once beautiful village of Taleigao has been fully concretised, sold to the builders lobby and destroyed after it's urbanisation right under the nose of its own people in the name of long-term development. Goans therefore do not want any urbanisation of their villages as they want to preserve Goa's natural beauty and culture in its present form. Well, Goans need to stay extra vigilant and thwart the evil designs of the present government to save what is still left of Goa.
JERRY FERNANDES, Saligao
