Panaji, Feb 24 (TOI): Continuing to oppose the inclusion of a portion of St Cruz and Cujira in the Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA), villagers and the village development committee (VDC) of St Cruz said the Goa Forward Party (GFP) was trying to bring in outsiders and ruin Goan identity. GFP president Vijai Sardesai, is the town and country planning (TCP) minister.

Locals, along with St Cruz sarpanch Mariano Araujo, and former MLA Victoria Fernandes, on Friday provided a point-by-point rebuttal of the claims and assurances given by Sardesai.

“The TCP minister visited Bondvol lake in April 2017 and directed his department to cancel licenses issued in that area. So, how did the TCP then issue two clearances in June 2017?” local activist Arturo D’Souza said. Villagers said their apprehensions were rooted in the haphazard permissions being given by the TCP department and its inability to protect no-development zones.

Contradicting Sardesai’s statement that villagers could not raise their objections after a decision was taken, Araujo said a gram sabha resolution had been passed in the matter and a memorandum had been sent on January 17 this year.

“The panchayat has written a letter to the chief minister and the TCP minister asking them not to include any part of St Cruz village under the greater Panaji PDA,” Araujo said. “What is the point of having VDCs if you are going to put villages in PDAs?”