An ordinary gram sabha of the Olaulim-Pomburpa panchayat erupt-ed on Sunday as furious villagers unanimously re-solved to demand the im-mediate removal of fencing around a private forest area linked to a proposed mega project.
At the gram sabha chaired by newly elected Sarpanch Maria Fernandes e Horta along with Panchayat Sec-retary Kritesh Korgaonkar, villagers expressed concern over environmental damage and the possibility of large-scale development in eco-logically sensitive areas of the village.
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A proposal moved by villager Mithon Mhambre pertained to fencing per mission granted by the panchayat in a private for-est area surveyed under No. 29/1-C of Pomburpa vil-lage. Residents alleged that the fencing was linked to a mega project proposed in the locality.
Villager Dhiren Fadte in-formed the gram sabha that an FIR had already been reg-istered against the property owner for allegedly setting fire to trees within the for ested land. He demanded that the panchayat refrain from granting permissions for fencing in properties covered with natural vegetation and insisted that the existing fencing be re-moved immediately. Chairman of the Biodiversity Management Committee of Pomburpa-Olaulim, Alvito D’Souza, appealed to villagers to remain vigilant about environmental degradation in the village. He alleged that trees in the private forest area were being deliberately burnt to clear land for development activ-ities, posing a serious threat to local biodiversity and wild- life. Following lengthy discussions, villagers unanimously resolved that the panchayat should initiate steps to ensure removal of the fencing erected on the private forest land.
The gram sabha also strongly opposed any new projects involving swimming pools in the village, citing worsening water scarcity, Villagers pointed out that the Water Re-sources Department (WRD) had already acknowledged water shortage issues in the area
Responding to the concerns, the panchayat secretary informed the gathering that the panchayat had already passed a resolution not to grant permissions for projects with swimming pools in the village.
Apart from the mega project issue, villagers also dis-cussed pending matters related to the Hindu crematori-um at Golna, tenant verification, road conditions, garbage management, and traffic congestion.
Villager Vasudev Chopdekar raised concerns over de-lays in the long-pending crematorium project, stating that land allotted to the panchayat remained entangled in legal disputes for decades. He urged the panchayat to ensure police protection during the demarcation process to avoid obstruction.
The issue of tenant verification also resurfaced, with vil-lagers demanding stricter monitoring of rented premises through house-to-house verification drives.
Traffic congestion and poor road conditions were also highlighted during the meeting. The sarpanch informed members that contractors had assured the panchayat that pending road restoration works would be completed by June. Villagers further demanded strict action against trans-portation of construction material after 7 pm, alleging that movement of heavy vehicles during late hours was causing inconvenience and safety concerns in the village.
