Daijiworld Media Network - Bicholim
Bicholim, Sep 13: The 161-day sit-in protest by residents of Karapur-Sarvan outside the Shri Shantadurga Temple against the House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL) housing project was called off on Saturday after the Karapur-Sarvan panchayat issued a 'stop-work' notice to the project.
Following the notice, the protesters announced that they were withdrawing the sit-in after two key demands were addressed — reopening the traditional pathway through the project site and issuance of the 'stop-work' notice by the panchayat.
However, the protesters made it clear that their legal and judicial battles against the project would continue.
The announcement was made in the presence of Adv Ajay Prabhugaonkar, Dr Swapnil Salelkar, Swapnesh Sherlekar, Gaurish Ghadi and others.
The agitators said the struggle against the project would continue, with their future course of action depending on the government's cooperation in the ongoing legal and administrative proceedings aimed at opposing and ultimately halting the project.
Following the panchayat's 'stop-work' notice, the protesters submitted a letter to Bicholim police seeking legal action if construction work continued in violation of the order.
Residents have been opposing the project on two primary grounds. They have demanded that traditional access routes through the project site be kept open, as the land has traditionally been used by villagers for farming and cultivation. They also sought a 'stop-work' notice from the panchayat to immediately halt construction.
The issue has also been pursued through legal channels, with cases filed before the High Court and the National Green Tribunal.
Amid the agitation, a delegation of protesters met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. During the meeting, the chief minister reportedly advised them to submit documents related to their tenancy lands to the government.
The protesters also sought the immediate removal of protective fencing that had blocked the villagers' traditional pathway. Following the demand, the chief minister instructed officials to reopen the pathway.
However, the villagers continued their sit-in, insisting that the panchayat issue a 'stop-work' notice to halt the project.
The issue was also raised by the Opposition during the recent legislative Assembly session. Sawant subsequently announced that he would meet the protesting residents of Karapur after the session.
Accordingly, the chief minister met the protesters at Ravindra Bhavan in Sanquelim and held detailed discussions with them. He directed the concerned government agencies to convene a joint meeting with the residents and review the project's permits and documents.
Following these developments, the Karapur-Sarvan panchayat issued a 'stop-work' notice on September 11 against the ongoing work on the HoABL project.