CAMURLIM (BARDEZ): This Camurlim village in Bardez, a namesake of its Salcete counterpart is nestled among paddy fields with the Chapora River flowing around its edges, bordered by Colvale and Siolim.
Camurlim villagers, who have been waging a battle to save their village from a mega housing project, which is coming up on the hills in an area measuring 56,466 square metres, have accused the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department and the local panchayat of giving permissions to the project without conducting a site inspection.
Raising strong objections, the villagers fear that the project will cause damage to the ecosystem and village biodiversity.
Villagers alleged that the panchayat has given permission to a builder lobby for constructing the project on hills without taking the locals into confidence.
“Such a massive construction coming up on the hills of Camurlim will destroy the ecology and biodiversity of Camurlim and will put the villagers’ lives at risk. We are much dependent on its resources. Our village has a very unique topography, a flourishing ecosystem with the plateau right on top protecting the biodiversity. We have a natural slope covered with trees, medicinal plants, cashew plantation, natural springs etc. Down the slope are the fields cultivated by the villagers and then we have the Chapora River”, said Nubert Fernandes, a villager, who is spearheading the battle.
“This project is completely illegal because where the construction is taking place is a no development zone and forest land. Permissions have been acquired fraudulently from the Town and Country Planning Department and the local panchayat who have given permissions without conducting a site inspection. We filed complaints to both the TCP Department and the Panchayat two months ago, but till date no site inspection has been conducted. The site plan shows a six-metre road, which does not exist. Permissions are granted violating all laws”, Nubert claimed.
The villagers have launched a door-to-door signature campaign creating awareness on the harm that the project will cause as well as complaints have been submitted to all the authorities concerned with almost 400 signatures, Nubert informed.
“We are dependent on the ecosystem for our livelihood. Our ancestors have taken care of such eco-sensitive zones and now it’s our duty to take care of it and transfer it to our future generations. Like our Mother is our village, our village is our society and we form a very good community, but today, we are on the verge of losing our culture and identity by this builder lobby taking permissions fraudulently and destroying Goa in the name of development,” the villagers said.
The builder lobby here in Goa has no interest in preserving the ecology of the village or its resources and neither are they sensitive about the villagers’ concerns, but are out to destroy the village ecology for the sake of either commercial gain or so-called elite lifestyle. Their motivated ends and desires are totally against the sentiments, wishes, sensitivities and rights of the villagers,” the villagers charged.
“Even if the Town and Country Planning Department gives permission, it is the duty of the panchayat to write to the department conveying the villagers’ objections to the project. The builder lobby has already finished the Assagao, Siolim and other villages across the State and we don’t want the same to happen to our village,” another villager said.