Back in 2007 when the mighty Rahejas bought land and tried to bulldoze their way into this tiny village of Carmona, the villagers had effectively resisted their attempts to set shop in their village. This anti-mega housing movement had spread all over Goa like a wildfire and had made Goans aware of the ills of big housing projects only meant for high-end people. Activists had argued about lack of resources and enough infrastructures existing in the village to support such a massive housing project. Dharnas were staged in front of the CM residence and media was used effectively to support their agenda.
Today the very activists are in favor of the project and have given unconditional support for the Rahejas against the overall view and sentiments of the villagers. What everyone is wondering is what has changed since then and now for this U- turn. Does Carmona have broader roads, enough land, water supply and other resources basis which the activists were vociferously opposing the project? The land sharks and builders after exhausting the available land in the cities have now set prey on tiny Goan villages and hoping to go ahead by manipulating the consciences of the Village Panchayat members.
The TCP has become a den of corruption where deals are made and technical approvals granted without taking the ground realities in consideration. The Rahejas have managed to get majority support from the Village Panchayat, The Town & Country Planning technical approval, amend the rules for approving their project by their inherent financial capacity as money can buy even egos and conscience.
Villagers of Carmona have to show that Goa is not for sale and the government and the Panchayats need to take public interests first above their own personal interests. The local Panchayat has shown no initiative in planning and enforcing development in the village but only interested in clearing construction files in connivance with the TCP. The follow up statements to the Press by the Dy Sarpanch and Rahejas themselves to somehow go ahead with the project under the guise of the proposed CSR plan for the village have further poured salt over inflamed wounds of the villagers on this sensitive issue. The Raheja case has become a case study for us and a lesson to know how rules can be bent, new favorable ones made, and government agencies and Village Panchayats falling prey to their enticement to somehow force their agenda. If today Raheja is given the green signal, then tomorrow it will be the others.
This Sunday, the villagers of Carmona are destined to show their might at the special Gram Sabha meeting by opposing and rejecting the Raheja Project file. This is bound to set a precedent among other villages of Goa and set as a deterrent for other builders like Rahejas to think twice before planning mega housing projects in Goan villages.
The Village Panchayat has to see the storm coming and take refuge by rejecting the Rahejas or by tendering their resignations at the Special Gram Sabha meeting on Sept 13 to salvage their leftover pride! God help us all!
