Team Herald
VASCO: The expert members of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) on Thursday inspected the proposed Mini India park site in Quelossim and instructed the project proponent to reopen the sluice gates in the property, to undo the damage done to the khazan and rehabilitate the khazan and bring it to its original position.
“Today we had come down to check whether all sluice gates in the property owned by Movaj Enterprises (Pvt Ltd) is open or not. During our inspection, we found that out of the four sluice gates, two were opened and two were still closed. The project proponent has agreed to open other remaining sluice gates so that natural flow of water in the said wet land area could easily take place,” said Dr Prabhakar Shirodkar, Expert Member of GCZMA.
“At the site we also noticed that the project proponent had carried out mud filling on certain portion of the property, so, we have issued instructions to remove the same and the same was also agreed to by the project proponent,” Shriodkar said.
Ram Agarwal, the managing director of Movaj Enterprises, said, “As I said earlier, my project will provide 1000 jobs to the villagers. Similarly, as I promised in the past whether villagers are opposing or supporting the project I am ready to adopt Quelossim village as my intensions are honest and clear. Also, since some villagers are opposing my project, I have decided to revise my project plan. In the new, plan I will not go ahead with a five start hotel and will place environment friendly floating jetties having miniature of popular monuments of India on it. Along with this, my project will have Indian cuisine, art and culture gallery to showcase India’s rich cultural and traditional heritage. I don’t know why people are opposing my project. In fact, the government should welcome the project as here we can showcase India to the foreign tourists.”
A Quelossim villager Lopinho Xavier who along with two other villagers had approached NGT against the Mini India project, said, “We are against the project because the same is proposed under eco-sensitive zone and thus we will continue to oppose the same.
Today GCZMA officials inspected the site and we requested GCZMA officials to direct the project proponent to immediately remove the mud dumped by him in Khazan land.”
