Panjim: Chaos erupted at the Town and Country Planning (TCP) office on Saturday as police forcibly evicted and “dragged” protestors, shifting a high-stakes standoff over controversial land zone changes to Azad Maidan, Panjim.
Led by residents of Palem-Siridao, the agitation—sparked by proposed conversions under Section 39A—has escalated into an indefinite hunger strike following allegations of police manhandling and the “systemic destruction” of the village’s ecological and cultural heritage.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Protesters had stormed the TCP office at Patto, Panjim on Friday and slept there all night, demanding the scrapping of all zone changes proposed or approved under Section 39A of the TCP Act in the Sant Andre constituency.
On Saturday morning, the Panjim Police asked the protestors to vacate the government premises. As they refused to disperse while sticking to their demand, the police dragged them out of the office. Police literally pulled all of them including the women from the second floor to the ground floor as chaos erupted.
The protestors then staged a dharna on the ground and demanded the suspension of police officers for manhandling them and for violating the powers, privileges and immunities of MLAs provided under Article 194 of the Constitution.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao and AAP MLA Venzy Viegas along with several other political leaders rushed to Patto, Panjim and expressed their support to the protestors.
In the afternoon all the protestors marched to the Azad Maidan where Tushar Gawas, a villager announced that he would go on an indefinite hunger strike until their demand to scrap the zone changes is fulfilled.
A large number of villagers including women predominantly from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community from Palem-Siridao and surrounding villages reiterated that they will not withdraw their protest until the order to scrap the zone changes is signed by the TCP Minister. They alleged that there was a “malicious and systemic” attempt to destroy the ecological fabric of their village.
The villagers have already submitted a data-backed objection against the proposed zone change for Survey Nos. 42/1, 42/2 (Part), and surrounding plots in Siridao, approved under the controversial Section 39A of the TCP Act. They also demanded the immediate scrapping of the controversial sections.
The opposition party leaders have appealed to the people, activists and NGOs to assemble at Azad Maidan at 10 am on Sunday, February 22 where they will declare their future plan of action.
Hanumanth Kunkolkar, popularly known as Jalmi, a ritual functionary or priest within Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities said, “The police dragged me from the TCP office to the ground. Police acted inhumanly and showed no mercy to elders and women. I will offer gharane to the local deity to punish wrongdoers and to save our village.”
Priya Kankonkar, a villager from Palem said, “I was in the TCP office on Friday night, But I came down when police started dragging villagers. We will continue our agitation to protect our ancestral lands.”
According to the villagers, the land proposed for zone change belongs to the tribals. The sacred Mhatarechi Homti, a prehistoric single-cell rock-cut cave carved into laterite stone, believed to date back to the 6th or 7th Century, is located on the very land which the TCP Department is trying to convert for settlement for builders.
Locals alleged that for years, hills have been systematically destroyed through deliberate fires to clear vegetation. This forest was home to foxes, reptiles, wild boars, rare birds, and invaluable medicinal plants. Today, the ecosystem is being sacrificed to fill the pockets of developers, they stated.
AAP State President Valmiki Naik condemned the manner in which the protesters were dragged out of the TCP office, stating that AAP stands firmly with them against police mishandling.
He alleged that whenever the government is questioned, those who raise their voices are silenced or forcibly removed. Sections 39A and 17(2) of the TCP Act are becoming foundations of destruction for Goa’s fields, lands and forests.
