Following the decision, villagers protested outside the panchayat and refused to leave even after police were called in.
It may be recalled that the villagers have been asking the panchayat to issue Raheja a show-cause notice as to why its construction licence should not be revoked. Additionally, at an earlier panchayat meeting, four panchas had passed a resolution to revoke the construction licence issued to Raheja, but the same had not been recorded. Then acting sarpanch Orlando da Silva had stated that the resolution was moved after the panchayat meeting.
At the panchayat meeting on Thursday, Sarpanch Lavita Dias put to vote the proposal to issue the show-cause notice to Raheja. Divina Rodrigues, one of the panchas who had signed the resolution to revoke the licence, decided against issuing the show-cause notice to Raheja, as did three other panchas. They opined out that the panchayat should wait until the government takes a decision on the TCP report.
After the meeting ended, villagers gathered outside the hall and began to protest vehemently. The police had to call in their seniors to break the impasse. The protestors said that they were holding a peaceful demonstration and criticised the panchayat for deciding against the show-cause notice.
While the villagers later called off their protest, the Carmona village forum promised to continue the fight saying they were within their rights to demand accountability from their panchas.
