Team Herald
MARGAO: At a massive rally held in Chinchinim village, hundreds of citizens gathered to protest against the rampant land conversions taking place across Goa, and to demand a new Regional Plan (RP) for the State.
The main thrust behind the speeches made at the protest was that the State government should cease coming out with “amendments after amendments” to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, and that development plans should be fixed for a long period of time, which would ensure there are no attempts to selectively dilute these plans to benefit mega projects, and further environmental destruction.
The protestors, who converged at Chinchinim from all over Goa, emphasised that such plans need to have the consent and participation of the locals.
Velim AAP MLA Cruz Silva gave the example of what is happening in Sancoale, where the people have come out on the streets to voice strong opposition to the Bhutani mega project. He added that in other villages also people are coming out on the streets and won’t be taken for granted.
Activist Abhijit Prabhudesai commended the people from Chinchinim for coming out in large numbers and felt the movement against such mega real estate projects and land conversions can start from such types of protests. He expressed confidence that the people’s movement will result in success and compared it to the mass public protests in the year 2006 against the then RP 2011.
“The farmers of our village have brought large tracts of fallow land under cultivation. Agriculture too can be the way forward to protect lands of Goa, especially the fields,” said Chinchinim Comunidade President Agnelo Furtado.
Other speakers gave the example of Loutolim, where the RP has completely diluted the presence of khazan fields, which had paved the way for the proposed Borim bridge construction, which the local farmers are currently protesting against.
It was also pointed out that the government does not have accurate data on things like irrigated command areas but are allowing hill cutting, zone changes to allow construction in no-development areas and coastal areas, all for the real estate lobby.
The speakers urged the public to be united against such arbitrary changes in land use regulations to protect the identity and lands of Goa.