Villagers of Chimbel staged a protest on Friday at Azad Maidan, urging the government to scrap the proposed Unity Mall project. The demonstration comes ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s one-day visit to Goa on Saturday, during which he is scheduled to inaugurate several projects, including the controversial 17-storey commercial complex.
Farmers, residents, and members of the Biodiversity Management and Wetland Committees raised concerns that the mall would destroy over four lakh square metres of wetlands and agricultural land. Speakers at the protest warned that the project would cause irreparable damage to both ecology and livelihoods.
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“This land sustains farmers and acts as a natural flood buffer. Turning it into a mall will permanently destroy our livelihoods,” said one farmer. Protestors recalled that a previous plan to set up an IT Park on the same land had been rejected during gram sabha meetings, alleging that the project had been revived under a new name without respecting earlier resolutions.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and local MLA Rudolf Fernandes also came under criticism, with protestors alleging that both leaders were aware of strong public opposition yet continued to back the project. “The land belongs to the people, not to the builders,” a resident said, adding that expert warnings and village resolutions had been ignored.
Environmentalists at the protest highlighted the wetlands’ ecological importance, describing them as biodiversity hotspots that help prevent flooding during heavy rains.
Demonstrators vowed to intensify their agitation until the Unity Mall project is scrapped.
