Over 1,000 villagers from eight flood-prone Goa villages ended their high-stakes protest against the controversial Mirabag Bandara project on Zuari River. Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant personally intervened, holding direct talks with agitators at Tamdi Mati in Margao this evening.
During the crucial meeting, Sawant promised to personally mark “cancellation” on the project’s official file, addressing protesters’ core demand for documented scrapping. “File an RTI tomorrow and collect the official copy,” he advised, ensuring transparency. He further committed to withdrawing all police cases against demonstrators, easing fears of legal repercussions.
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The standoff began early Monday when police halted protesters’ vehicles on Mirabag Bridge, enforcing North Goa DM Ankit Yadav’s Section 163 ban on Panjim assemblies amid Ponda by-election sensitivities. Undeterred despite three prior verbal assurances they deemed untrustworthy, villagers from Sanvordem, Sanguem, and Curchorem demanded for written guarantees against barrage-induced flooding threatening temples, homes, and livelihoods.
