Team Herald
PANJIM: A group of alert citizens under the banner Save Kesarval Spring Movement have alleged that Goa Tourism Development Committee (GTDC) is in the process of handing over 28,200 square meters of land to a private party on Design Built Operate and Transfer basis for a 3 star and above category hotel.
The committee has alleged that the place is being commercialised under the pretext of rejuvenating the Kesarval Spring.
“Although the spring may be in the jurisdiction of Quellossim village, Kesarval spring belongs to the people of Goa and cannot be handed over to a private party. It has to remain in public domain and unrestricted public access to the spring cannot be denied,” John De Sa, a member of the movement said.
He added that the people have an emotional attachment to the spring for its natural healing powers and the theruputic values and any intervention in the area will be detrimental to the existence of the spring. The group stated that villagers are capable of beautifying and rejuvenating the spring through the panchayat, rather than handing it to a private party.
De Sa alleged that the government has not done a Environmental Impact Assessment study on this project.
“We demand MLA Alina Saldanha and MLA Nilesh Cabral (Chairman GTDC) take prompt action to scrap the project, failing which all Goans will be forced to come on the streets,” the Save Kesarval Spring Committee warned.
