Team Herald
MARGAO: A modest signboard put up by the gram sabha members of Betalbatim village panchayat, cautioning potential developers about purchasing land in the village, has triggered a powerful ripple effect across Salcete taluka.
What began as a local initiative is now snowballing into a wider grassroots movement, with panchayats from across the region rallying behind the call to safeguard Goa’s rural identity and demand a long-overdue assessment of the State’s
carrying capacity.
At the heart of this growing resistance are fundamental concerns: depletion of water resources, unreliable power supply, unsustainable land sales to outsiders and the approval of mega housing projects that are beyond the control and planning capacity of local panchayats.
Betalbatim village panchayat sarpanch Anthony Fernandes shared the origin of their initiative: “Recently in the gram sabha, a proposal came up stating that all the properties are being purchased by outsiders, so boards should be put up at all the borders saying those buying properties should do so at their own risk.”
He continued, “I supported this because people are facing a shortage of water. Suppose you purchase land and secure a construction license, then you will have to be given water. If not, then you will complain. We have said that if builders are purchasing land, then they will do it at their own risk. The panchayat will not issue any licence.”
This frustration is at the core of a movement that started with a simple signboard in Betalbatim, warning developers against purchasing land in the village. What began as a local effort has now sparked a wider grassroots movement across Salcete taluka, with panchayats from the region uniting behind a call to protect Goa’s rural identity.
Basilio Fernandes, sarpanch of Camorlim village panchayat, voiced a common frustration felt by many. “Our gram sabha passed a resolution to limit construction to a maximum of ground plus two floors to protect the aesthetic and ecological integrity of the village. But the TCP department continues to grant approvals for buildings up to ground plus four in the same area. What’s the point of a resolution if it’s going to be overruled?” Fernandes asked.
The Betalbatim signboard has now become a symbol of protest, representing not just a stand against unchecked urbanisation, but a broader push-back against the marginalisation of local governance. The sign’s message—cautioning developers against indiscriminate land acquisition—has resonated deeply with other village leaders, who are also growing increasingly frustrated with the current system.
Frank Viegas, sarpanch of Deussua-Chinchinim, echoed these concerns and extended his full support to the Betalbatim initiative. “Departments are giving construction permissions without assessing the ground reality. We’re talking about villages where the water and power supply is irregular, yet builders are being issued certificates claiming adequate availability of resources. That’s highly irresponsible,” Viegas said. He stressed the need for a comprehensive carrying capacity study, one that takes into account essential services like water supply, electricity, waste management, and land use.
Sarpanch Dixan Vaz of Cavelossim also added his voice to the cause, stressing that proper groundwork and consultation with local panchayats must be a prerequisite before granting permissions for large-scale developments. “It is high time that licensing authorities, including the TCP, carry out detailed studies of the villages' resource capacities before approving mega projects. The initiative by Betalbatim is absolutely right, and in fact, this is something that should have been done by the government itself,” Vaz noted.
Suzie Fernandes, sarpanch of Colva, acknowledged the growing crisis and expressed concern about the future. “Many villages have already lost their vital resources. The environment has been severely damaged, and the local population is bearing the brunt. But the key question is whether the government and the concerned departments finally take this issue seriously?” she asked.
As more panchayats lend their voices to the cause, it’s becoming clear that village leaders are no longer willing to remain silent. The message is loud and clear: the people on the ground want their voices heard, their laws respected, and their environment preserved — before it’s too late.