Team Herald

PANJIM: Several hundred people rallied on the outskirts of Panjim, in what could be termed as a major show of strength, opposing the recent formation of the Greater Panjim PDA under the chairmanship of Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate. 

St Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes made a major announcement deciding to quit as member from the PDA, a decision that came after locals asked him to take a clear stand either in favour of PDA or opposing it.

The peaceful rally that started from various points at St Cruz, Merces, Bambolim and Chimbel congregated at Merces junction to form a human chain. This was followed by a mega public meeting at St Cruz where the local MLA offered to resign from the PDA post. 

“My people do not want PDA and I am with them. I have given my resignation letter as member of the PDA, to the priest of the St Cruz Church,” he said.

The locals had demanded that Fernandes make his stand clear on the subject and that he should in fact call for meetings in protest of the PDA.

Former St Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes along with her son Rudolph also attended the rally-cum-meeting demanding scrapping of the PDA for the sake of saving the environment. Rudolph, while addressing the gathering that also comprised of students, expressed his fear that the PDA would destroy the village.

“The Greater Panjim PDA is to benefit the builders whereas the local people would be the sufferers. We have learnt that more than 10,000 flats will come up, and the work of construction of ‘concrete jungle’ will spoil the wells, ponds, lake and the greenery,” he said.

Supported by many others, Rudolph went on to state that low lying village will be flooded during the rains and that sewage water would seep into the houses, if the PDA continues.

Herald spoke to a few other protestors who too supported ‘No to PDA.’ Social activist Andrea Pereira alleged that PDA is unconstitutionally forced on the village and any further development will be a mess. 

“Our village wants its right to remain as a village. PDA is unconstitutionally forced on our village. Development of village cannot be in parts to create a mess. Our land resources, our water resources and our environment is the health bank of our children whereas the builders and politicians want to convert this health bank into money and leave all problems for our children,” she said.

The villagers have demanded that they can be well taken care of by the Town & Country Planning Act rather than PDA, which would be a disaster. 

“PDA will be a disaster to all of us. The TCP Department should have the details of what are the total additional requirements of housing in Goa every year for Goans, and then talk about vertical development. Why are we planning for the requirements of outside Goa when we don’t even have the infrastructure for it,” another protestor said. 

The entire rally and the meeting had huge presence of police to ensure law and order is not disturbed. 

Meanwhile, Herald also spoke to some children who have taken an interest to save their land. “We are supporting the protest because PDA will damage our fields and destroy the environment. I will ask my friends to support our initiative,” said Abner Pereira, a Class VIII student. 

Another student of Class XI Shelley Dias said, “PDA is going to get only buildings and destroy the environment…. Let the village be under TCP. We don’t want concrete jungle.”