Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jan 28: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will meet protesters on Wednesday evening ahead of their planned demonstration against the proposed Unity Mall project near Chimbel village, Panaji.

The Unity Mall, proposed under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to promote local handicrafts and commodities, has been facing stiff opposition from local residents, who have been staging a protest at the site for nearly a month. The agitators have warned of a large-scale protest on January 30.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Sawant will hold the meeting at 6 pm at his official bungalow in Panaji.

“This meeting is being held in line with the prior understanding that, following the site survey, representatives of the Chimbel agitation and the state officials concerned would participate in a review chaired by the CM,” the CMO said.

An expert committee has been conducting a survey of the project site after locals raised concerns that the construction could adversely affect a nearby lake.