Team Herald
CALANGUTE: Citizens of Candolim and neighbouring areas have joined hands to reject a hotel project on the Sinquerim Hill and have given a clarion call to oppose the government’s decision to allow the development on the stunning seaside hill known for its pristine beauty and rich biodiversity.
Public spirited citizens have now called for a public awareness meeting under the ‘Save Sinquerim Hill for the Next Generation’ campaign near the St Lawrence Church, Sinquerim, on Wednesday, February 19. The campaign has been launched by the Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF) to prevent Sinquerim Hill in Candolim from being commercially developed by a resort and other private entities.
In a recent complaint to the Chief Minister and other authorities, the CCF stated: “Villagers of Candolim, along with CCF and residents of Calangute constituency and surrounding areas are uniting to express their grave concern over the recent decision by the state government, which signed a supplementary lease agreement on August 13, 2024 with a top hotel group. This agreement permits them to develop Sinquerim hill for commercial purposes on a property bearing survey no. 96/0 of Candolim village, covering a land area of 300,000 square metres.
“There is apprehension among the villagers that once this project begins, it will pave the way for the destruction of the entire hill area,” said Premanand Divkar, CCF president.
Premanand highlighted that several celebrities had purchased land on Sinquerim Hill and its slopes, including a Bollywood superstar who has already commenced construction work, despite the area being classified as a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) no-development zone. “This issue will be a key point of discussion at Wednesday’s meeting,” he said.
In September last year, following a complaint by the CCF, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) conducted a site inspection of an alleged illegal construction taking place within 100 metres of Fort Aguada at Sinquerim, within survey no. 96/0.
According to the GCZMA’s site inspection report from September, “The ongoing work at the Upper Fort Aguada is part of a project undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Goa Circle. ASI officials informed that the construction of a reinforced concrete (RCC) structure is intended for a heritage interpretation centre, which will include an audio-visual room, toilets, exhibition galleries, a cafeteria, a souvenir shop, and a ticket counter.