The residents of Mandrem village are up in arms against the alleged illegal hill cutting and development project happening in their area. Local villager Sanjay Barde has warned that the villagers will hold a protest at the Panchayat demanding the government to take immediate action and stop the ongoing work.
According to the villagers, the entire hill in the vicinity is being cut down, depriving them of basic facilities. "The villages are lacking basic amenities due to this upcoming new illegal project," said a local resident.
The villagers are concerned that this alleged illegal activity will not only destroy the landscape but also their culture and way of life. "All our culture will be vanished, and we will be forced to adopt the northern culture as they will be ruling our future generation," added Barde.
The villagers have accused the government officials of being hand-in-glove with the outsiders and prioritizing money over the well-being of the local community. "Keep something for villagers, don't sell everything in the hands of outsiders. Only because of money, don't sell Goa. All the government servants are getting salary with our money as we pay the tax to the government. We should be benefiting from the government, not the outsiders," expressed a concerned villager.
The residents have warned the government to take immediate action to address their concerns, or else they will be forced to hold a protest against these alleged illegalities