Another protest has erupted at Karapur-Sarvan, with more than 60 farmers claiming tenancy (kul) rights on land ac quired for a mega housing project marching to the village panchayat office on Thursday, demanding the return of their lands and op posing the proposed township. The farmers questioned the basis on which permission was granted for the housing project without taking them into confi dence. A heavy police presence, including Bicholim DySP Sridevi B V, PIs Vijay Rane and Videsh Shirodkar, was deployed as the crowd gathered, lending the area the look of a security camp. Police restrained the protesters from entering the office, allowing only a delegation led by Adv Ajay Prab hugaonkar to meet the panchayat members. The tension intensified when environmentalist Swapnil Sherle kar was detained for questioning by Bicholim Police for nearly five hours in connection with a com plaint filed by Tanvi Sawant, who alleged that she was abused and threatened by him. The police had issued a notice under Section 35(3) of the BNSS in connection with offences registered under various sections of the BNS 2023. Sherlekar was released on assurance and asked to remain present for further inquiry on Saturday. Several prominent per sons, including social workers, South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fer nandes and Goa Congress presi dent Amit Patkar, were present at the police station in solidarity. Responding after his release, Sherlekar said, “Bhivpachi garaj na. We have to fight and there is no going back.” However, women who had accompanied him to meet the panchayat member denied that Sherlekar had in any way abused Sawant.
Meanwhile, Karapur-Sarvan Sarpanch Divya Naik, along with Deputy Sarpanch Baby Ayesha Magod, former sar panch and current panchayat member Tanvi Sawant, and other members, clarified the panchayat’s stand on the no-objection certificate (NOC). They stated that the NOC was issued only after clarity on land status and technical clearance from the Town and Country Planning (TCP) De partment. Naik told the delegation that no objections or owner ship claims regarding tenancy rights had been submitted earlier. If the farmers possess valid documents proving their tenancy status, they should submit them and, after verification and legal consultation, further steps would be taken. Addressing the gathering outside after the meeting, the sarpanch reiterated that the NOC had already been grant ed and that no farmers or locals had produced or submit ted tenancy documents at that time. She also said it was wrong for the farmers to assemble at the residence of the former sarpanch instead of ap proaching the panchayat office directly. The protest follows growing anger over the hilltop pro ject by a realty major, which spans approximately 5.5 lakh square metres and is expected to significantly alter the village landscape. Villagers fear that large-scale concreti sation will trigger monsoon runoff and soil erosion into agricultural lands. Accord ing to locals, land records show that many farmers’ ancestors are recorded as tenants, and preliminary estimates suggest tenancy rights extend over about 2.4 lakh square metres. Social activist Siddhesh Tari described the issue as longstanding. He said that when work on the mega residential project began, he had brought the matter to the notice of the panchayat. He pointed out that the gram sabha had debated the issue heated ly but those opposing the project were not allowed to speak. He alleged that the then sarpanch and members attempted to suppress opposition and argued that had villagers been taken into confi dence before granting the NOC, “such a large dispute would not have arisen.” Following the panchayat’s request, the farmers now plan to sub mit a formal representa tion along with land docu ments and have demanded that the panchayat verify the records and immedi ately issue a stop-work notice to the project pro ponent, Adv Ajay Prabhu gaonkar said. Activist Swapnesh Sher lekar alleged that locals have been cheated and that the project would alter the identity of the panchayat and village, accusing authorities of enabling outside de velopers while ignoring legal safeguards. Women farmers present said their lands were taken without their knowledge and that they were now unable to access them. They insisted they did not want compen sation but the return of their land, which they described as their only source of livelihood.
