Team Herald

MARGAO: Carmona village is back in news as work has reportedly begun at the long opposed Raheja project site.

On learning news of the same, Carmona Panchas lead by Alwynn George met the TCP Minister and urged him to stop the work. 

However, the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai told them that, “There are some commitments made by the Department by virtue of permissions. Hence, I assure to take necessary action only after I completely examine the issue as I have inherited the issue and need to understand it more.”

Lot is being spoken on the technical and other issues of the project which is proposed in the village. However, there is a bigger worry in the minds of the people over the constant Holiday Home conversion of Goa and Goan villages and is happening at an alarming rate. 

The coastal belt of Salcete is called paradise and lakhs of people from across the world come down to see and experience the same. However, there are some who fall in love with the sun, sand and sea so much so that they intend to buy properties and make their holiday home here. This trend has now increased to such an extent that there is mass conversion of lands into gated communities and societies and also into bungalows and villas which are sold for crores of rupees. 

All this sounds very attractive for a buyer and a seller but not for the villager who has spent his entire life in the village, wishes to die and be buried/cremated there because of the sense of emotion and belonging to his village. 

Sardesai is on record saying, “In the Goan villages there used to be a tinto which was a market place and there was no other commercialisation. Now, we can see buildings in villages in Goa and shops in the buildings because they can be sold at a much higher cost than the rates of construction. We don’t want so much commercialisation of Goan villages.”

The Panchas of Carmona who met the TCP Minister on Thursday harped upon the technical points for why they do not want the project to come in the village. However, there is much less spoken on the ramifications it will have on social and resources of the village. 

The people of Carmona have voted in the present panchayat on the basis of the opposition to the Raheja Project and the onus now lies on to the new panchayat to honour the commitment made to the people.