The Principal District and Sessions Court, North Goa, on Wednesday has quashed and set aside the construction licence granted to the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) for the proposed Unity Mall at Chimbel, handing the government a major setback, which has been keen to push ahead with the project despite opposition criticism and ongoing litigation. Well, though the villagers of Chimbel have partly won their battle, they should get ready to fight a long battle against this project. Because the Sawant-led BJP government will definitely take this matter to the High Court and still try to make all out efforts to push ahead with the said project just to make the Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and the local MLA of St Cruz Rudolf Fernandes happy as both have a personal interest and are believed to be benefitting from this controversial project. The villagers of Chimbel therefore will have to take this matter very seriously, should not withdraw their strike (including the hunger strike) but continue with their battle untill the government officially announces that the proposed Unity Mall project at the current location in Chimbel is scrapped.
