For twelve odd years a group of villagers from Cansaulim Arossim Cuelim (CAC) have been tirelessly fighting a battle opposing the third mega hotel project proposed at Arossim village. The plot where the hotel project is proposed to be built is a biodiversity hotspot and within the Coastal Regulation Zone area.
From challenging the project promoter before different courts to voicing concerns during gram sabha meetings, this group of villagers and specially those villagers associated with Cansaulim Arossim Cuelim Civic and Consumer Forum (CACCCF) and Cansaulim Villagers’ Action Committee (CVAC) consistently used all options to block the project. On several occasions even the CAC gram sabha passed resolutions opposing mega hotel project in the village. However there is fresh fear in their minds as the Delhi based project proponent namely ‘Competent Automobiles’ not only managed to obtain all permissions from state authorities including the local Panchayat body for his five star hotel project but even sold the property Daffodil Projects Pvt Ltd.
The villagers are confused whether the new project promoter will also propose a similar hotel project or something that is not damaging village environment. But the entry of the new project promoter shocked the villagers because while clearing the wild plants in his property he allegedly chopped down trees illegally. This fuelled anger and opposition started building up and now the villagers are gearing up to relaunch their fight against the hotel project and the new owner.
“We will go to the court or will hit the streets but under no circumstance will we allow this project to become a reality because the project started with a illegality the moment he took over. In the name of surveying the area they were flattening the sand dunes and were cutting the trees without permission and panchayat is also hand in glove with this illegal activity,” said Cansaulim based activists Olencio Simoes.
As per Simoes CAC villagers have been fighting our battle against the proposed hotel project as the same is not suitable for our heritage village. He said the plot where the hotel is proposed is a sand dune territory and there are many sound environmental grounds for opposing the project. “Already we have two 5 star hotels fronting our village coast line. These projects are already causing innumerable problems for us and another hotel that too on eco sensitive area would be additional burden to the village. Since this project is not in the interests of the village our VP should revoke its construction license citing different grounds. I don’t know why the panchayat body is desperate to help the hotel,” he added
He said that even late Mathany Saldanha was opposing the project till he died in the year 2012. “At that time our local MLA Alina Saldanha could not do anything but now since the new party has taken over the project she can formally place her objections before state government stating that this hotel should not come at the plot which is a biodiversity hotspot area. Government should be sensitive towards the sentiments of the villagers as currently the village has no basic amenities and having third hotel will overburden our existing infrastructure in the village and this is our argument. Also villagers don’t oppose the project for the sake of opposing it but here there are violations and the panchayat and the government is trying to push this project which violates environmental laws,” Simoes added.
Some of the concerned villagers who have been actively protesting against the proposed hotel project in their villager since the year 2006 said that “There are six water bodies on the site which act as a catchment area during rains and it prevents the village from flooding. Also already we have two five star hotels in our village and third hotel would deprive the villagers of their basic amenities as these hotels demand large quantities of water supply and other public amenities,” Malika Fernandes, another social activists from CAC said.
Alvaro Da Costa, president CACCCF said that “Since the owner is new we villagers are not aware as to what is proposed at the site. We want to have a talk with the owner and explain our views and then we will take a call but we surely want to see that villager interest is taken care. We want to retain the village identity and not to increase the carrying capacity of our small but beautiful village,” Costa told
Whether they succeed remains to be seen but they want the state government should first study the impact of such hotel projects on a beach stretch that has limited beach area.
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handful OF people are opposing
Only a handful people are opposing the hotel project Sarpanch of Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim Panchayat Martha Saldanha said only handful people are opposing the hotel project .
“Firstly I have no role to play in this hotel project because the license for the same was granted as per the court order and the project promoter had all other permissions with them. Also I do not take decisions on my own here. The decision was taken by the entire panchayat after consulting all elected panch members,” Saldanha said and further added that “The previous owners have sold the property to a hotel company which recently tried to clear the plot and the issue was raised by few handful people”. When asked whether the panchayat would back villagers opposing the project, Saldanha said that, “No, it is only 15 to 20 villagers who have been opposing the project while others have no objections. Also nobody came to Gram Sabha to oppose the project. Nobody even came to question as to why the license was issued nor did anybody raise the issue during gram sabha meeting. Its only when the project promoter was cleaning his property some people gathered and stopped the same,” Saldanha said
Hotel project will come and we will see to it that the village is benefitted- Project proponent
Meanwhile responding to the whole issue, a senior official of Daffodil Projects Pvt Ltd said that “Why civilians should know what plans we have made for the land that we recently purchased. It is panchayat body to whom we are answerable and not to whole village. Also nobody is worried about the project except for few handful people and I know from where they are getting instigated. Also I have all permissions issued by the ministry and license issued by the Panchayat but they are saying all such documents are invalid, on what basis? have they challenged it. We have got environment clearance and other permissions last year so why they are not going to court and are coming to my property. Hotel will come and we will see to it that the village is benefitted,” he told.
