Tension escalated in Karapur as angry residents took to the streets and marched to the village panchayat, only to find it deserted, triggering a sit-in protest and fierce sloganeering against both the local body and a controversial mega project that has sparked over a month of sustained agitation.
Concerned residents of Karapur staged a protest march to the Karapur Panchayat office, demanding clarity on the status of a proposed mega project and the issuance of a stop-work notice at a site located a few metres from the protest venue.
Upon reaching the panchayat office, the protesters found that no elected members or the secretary were present. Agitated over the absence of officials, villagers gathered at the entrance, sat in protest, and raised slogans against the project and the panchayat body. Slogans such as “Lodha Goa back,” “Amkam naka Lodha project,” and “Amcho ganv amkam zai” echoed through the area.
One of the protesters alleged negligence on the part of the panchayat, stating that officials had failed to respond despite villagers protesting for over a month. “We came today to know the status of the show-cause notice to the project, but there is no one present to even sign the letter. If the panchayat is not available for the people, it should be locked and all members should resign,” the protester said. The villager further alleged that the panchayat members were “hand in glove” with the builder lobby.
A senior citizen participating in the protest expressed disappointment, stating that elected representatives had failed to stand by the people. “We elected them to resolve our issues, but today we are forced to fight on the streets without their support. If they cannot stand with the villagers, what is the purpose of the panchayat?” she questioned, adding that residents would continue their united fight to safeguard the village and its natural resources.
Another villager pointed out that a resolution had been passed during a gram sabha to issue a show-cause notice to the project. “Since the resignation of the sarpanch, the responsibility lies with the deputy sarpanch. However, repeated attempts to meet her have failed, with excuses that she is busy. Even the secretary has failed in their duties. We have lost trust in the panchayat,” the villager said, demanding dissolution of the body and action against officials.
A woman protester urged villagers to remain vigilant and united, alleging that the interests of the village were being compromised. “This is the 31st day of our protest, and the panchayat has failed to resolve the issue. We will continue to stand for our village,” she said.
Before dispersing, protesters raised their hands to show that they had not taken any files from the premises, stating that they wanted to avoid any allegations of tampering with official documents.
Residents protest outside panchayat over alleged inaction on mega project
