Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Dec 2: Residents of Carambolim, joined by St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar and RGP Chief Manoj Parab, staged a protest at the Panaji Town and Country Planning (TCP) office over a contentious mega development in their village.
The project involves 84 flats, 46 shops, and a swimming pool on land with an existing road only 3 to 4 meters wide, while permissions were granted for a proposed 15-meter road. Villagers raised concerns about the development’s proximity to a Hindu crematorium and an existing 3.45?MLD water shortage, highlighting serious risks to public safety and local infrastructure. They noted that despite opposition from the Village Panchayat and Gram Sabha, the project received provisional approvals.
MLA Viresh Borkar criticized the administration and builder lobby for bypassing local concerns. “The block administration, Panchayat, and even the Deputy Sarpanch opposed this. Yet people’s livelihoods and local businesses are being sidelined, and the project moves forward despite protests and inspections,” he said, accusing the TCP department of procedural lapses, including ignoring stop-work and show-cause notices while the Pollution Control Board allowed construction to continue.
A Panchayat member added that villagers had pressured authorities to halt the project on July 27, 2025, and a Stop Work order along with a Show Cause Notice was issued on July 30. However, multiple site inspections by TCP officers lacked proper follow-up, and appeals filed by the villagers have had no effect, allowing the project to advance.
Residents voiced frustration over the impact on daily life, with one noting, “We get water only at 9.30 pm. Garbage is dumped by migrant labor, and roads are neglected. This mega project disrupts our lives, yet the government supports the builder.”
RGP Chief Manoj Parab accused collusion between the BJP government and the land mafia, claiming that TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane and CM Pramod Sawant shield officials while the lobby controls approvals. He alleged that permissions have been granted in violation of department circulars and High Court orders, with inspection reports on narrow roads and inadequate water supply ignored.
The TCP department has not yet responded to the villagers’ concerns or clarified the status of the ongoing project.