Team Herald
VASCO: Late Tuesday night, a group of residents from Sancoale stormed the controversial Bhutani Infra project site, catching workers in the act of what they alleged to be illegal activities.
What shocked the villagers further was the presence of Verna police officers, who appeared to be protecting the operation. However, when the agitated residents confronted the police for remaining silent, the two officers fled the scene. Villagers expressed outrage, claiming that while police officers harass innocent locals, they shield illegal activities taking place under the cover of night. The residents also accused the project proponents of employing bouncers to carry out these activities without interference.
Activist Xencor Polgi criticised the State government and law enforcement agencies for failing to conduct a thorough investigation and for delaying justice in the matter. He highlighted that the issue had been raised in the Assembly, yet the Sancoale village panchayat had granted permissions for the project in a single day. Polgi also noted that a local villager was denied access to his own property by the project’s proponents.
Polgi further emphasised that the residents’ opposition to the project stemmed from concerns over the ongoing hill-cutting activities at the site, located on a hill.
Sancoale locals urge TCP Minister to revoke permiTS
In a letter to Vishwajit Rane, the villagers of Sancoale sought his support to revoke permissions issued to the mega residential project, which is being constructed on a private with dense tree canopy and is eco sensitive. The villagers allege that developers are attempting to convert the property illegally and add that the property, zoned as C-1, does not fall under municipal limits, making the development permits issued illegal. “It exposes a clear fraud played in connivance with Mormugao Planning and Development officials,” the villagers allege.