MARGAO: The revival of a proposed Housing Board colony at Charam Moddi In Panzorconi has triggered fresh opposition in Cuncolim, with villagers mobilising once again and pointing to unresolved. land ownership issues, legal questions and past government decisions that had led to the project being scrapped nearly two decades ago. Residents have questioned how the Goa Housing Board continues to claim ownership over the government-acquired land measuring 1.26 lakh square metres when it had been transferred to the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA). They have also raised concerns over why the transfer was not completed despite GSUDA having paid Rs 5 crore to the Housing Board for the
land. Villagers recalled that the project had been dropped during the tenure of former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar, and later under a Congress government, after sustained public opposition. They said Parrikar had scrapped the proposal after being convinced that it would have a serious impact on the peaceful, social and cultural fabric of Cuncolim, following a site inspection by former minister late Matanhy Saldanha. Fresh uncertainty has also emerged over the legal status of the project. Residents said they had been informed that the Housing Board was proceeding with allotment of plots based on High Court directions, but claimed there was little clarity on the nature of those orders or how they addressed the unresolved land transfer.
Against this backdrop, villagers from Panzorconi, Poitomaddo and Comba Central staged a protest and addressed the media, opposing the revival of the colony and demanding transparency and consultation before any decision affect ing the village is taken.
Social activist and former Goa Housing Board managing director Elvis Gomes said opposition to the project dated back to 1994 and warned that villagers would resist any attempt to proceed without resolving earlier objections.
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“We have assembled to-day to send across a mes-sage that the people have been opposing the Housing Board project since 1994.The project was stopped by then chief minister late Manohar Parrikar after the site was inspected by former minister late Matan-hy Saldanha. We will not accept the Housing Board project come what may. We will go to any level to stop the project,” Gomes said.
Our demand is to return the acquired land to the original owners. If not, the government should set up a public utility project at the acquired land, preferably an education hub for local schools – Altinho Gomes, Senior Congress leader
Gomes said a delegation of Cuncolkars would soon call on the chief minister to seek scrapping of the project once again. Responding to queries about High Court directions, he said villagers were not aware of the details. “Right now we have no idea about the court’s directions. If there are directions, the same will be challenged. We will study the court order, if any, and move forward accordingly,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Altinho Gomes recalled earlier attempts to push the project through and said he and for mer MLA Joaquim Alemao had been arrested when then housing minister Manohar Ajgaonkar tried to bulldoze the proposal. He questioned how the project could be revived after GSUDA had taken over the land by paying Rs 5 crore to the Housing Board.
Altinho Gomes said efforts would be made to identify the officer responsible for not transferring the land to GSUDA despite the payment. He added that a delegation of villagers would meet Cuncolim MLA and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao to take up the matter with the government. “Our demand is to return the acquired land to the original owners. If not, the government should set up a public utility project at the acquired land, preferably an education hub for local schools,” he said. Residents said the proposed colony was being planned against the clear wishes and consent of villagers and warned that it would have a serious and irreversible impact on the village and surrounding areas. They said the land at Charam Moddi held deep significance for the local community and that development imposed without public approval threatened heritage, the environment and traditional ways of life. They stressed that development should be inclusive and must respect the sentiments and rights of people who had lived on and protected the land for generations, adding that decisions affecting Cuncolim should not be taken without proper consultation and transparency. At the protest, villagers appealed to residents of Panzorconi, Poitomaddo and Comba Central to come together in unity and support the agitation, saying collective participation was essential to ensure their voices were heard. Georgina Gama, Wendy Gomes and others who also addressed the media said the agitation would be in-tensified if the government failed to scrap the Housing Board colony project, urging villagers to remain united to safeguard the land, culture and future of Cuncolim.
