Team Herald
PONDA: In a novel way of protesting against the proposed mega project in the village, the locals of Veling-Priol-Cuncoliem Panchayat on Sunday displayed a notice that their village is not for sale and pledged to protect it from destruction.
The notice in Marathi displayed in the village reads: “In Cuncoliem village, the villagers are against the plot development and sale of plots on horticultural land. The buyer of the land should take a proper decision at his own risk and should not fall prey to the wrath of the villagers.”
The notice follows an advertisement by a builder regarding the sale of 150 plots by developing the Bagayat land for a residential project.
They warned the government about land conversion in the village in near future, asking it to not grant any permission.
Briefing the mediapersons at Cuncoliem on Sunday, Sarpanch Harsha Gaude along with locals said that this village is an agricultural area and farmers are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.
The locals said the mega project is coming in two survey numbers with land admeasuring around one lakh square metres, which includes orchard and settlement area. Considering the bad effect on village agriculture and biodiversity, they have voiced their opposition to the mega residential project.
It may be recalled that the locals held a meeting on the issue last Sunday and decided to oppose the mega project which they claim will change the village demography and cause water scarcity.
The Farmers Association president Sanjeev Cuncolienkar said, “The village has around 1,500 residents besides the floating population of 2,500 migrant workers. However, if new residency comes up in the village, the massive orchard land will be converted into a permanent settlement zone affecting the locals.”
Calling upon the people not to buy these plots, he alerted the locals to think before investing their hard-earned money.
He said, “Our village’s shape is like a cup surrounded by green hills and therefore there are limitations for developing it. The area where builders have done publicity to sell the land is an agricultural land where pineapples were produced. Our village is an agricultural village and the land where plots are to be developed has dense vegetation.”
The sarpanch assured the villagers that she will write to all departments concerned including TCP, local MLA and Chief Minister voicing their opposition to the development of plots in the village.