Villagers of Sao Jose de Areal who were named in FIRs following last year’s protest during the installation of a Shiv aji Maharaj statue in their village, staged a symbolic protest at the village gram sabha on Sunday. Holding their hands aloft in unison as a sym bolic protest, they alleged that incorrect sections had been applied against them and demanded an end to harassment by authorities. Velim MLA Cruz Silva extended his support to their demand, along with backing other resolutions passed at the meeting. The gram sabha also turned its attention to un checked urbanisation and large projects in the village. Members observed that multi-housing complex es, commercial buildings and polluting industries permitted in the past had disrupted traditional live lihoods and displaced lo cals. Stressing that the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 empowers panchayats only to regulate rural housing and facilities for education and health, they resolved that the panchayat must not issue licenses for ur ban or polluting projects. It was further decided that a carrying capacity study of the village be initiated to assess water availability, land use, forest conserva tion, biodiversity, infra structure and population trends. A committee under the gram sabha’s supervision will be formed to collect baseline data and coor dinate with government departments and NGOs, with a progress report to be presented within three months. Another resolution adopted was to under take geo-mapping or drone-mapping of the vil lage. Members said such an exercise was necessary to collect reliable envi ronmental, economic and social data and aid future planning. The Panchayat will now prepare a draft scope of work and place it before the next gram sabha for approval before award ing the contract.
