Panaji: An irregular L-shaped format of the parts of
St Cruz to be included in Bambolim planning area with a long trail through paddy fields, mangroves and khazan lands has upset the villagers about the likely devastation of eco-fragile zones.
After mapping the survey numbers of parts of St Cruz notified in the official gazette recently as part of the plan to include the areas under planning and development authority (PDA), the villagers discovered the unusual development trail.
"We can appreciate development to improve road connectivity in congested areas, but not through pristine green patches while biodiversity in the area was being inventorized," a villager said.
The survey numbers of parts of St Cruz were notified for inclusion under Bambolim planning area with Talaulim, Bambolim and other areas.
The mapping of survey notified numbers depicts an L-shaped trail from Bhatulem end of Panaji south towards St Cruz through the cultivable spaces of Calapor comunidade, green patches at Bandh, and stretching again irregularly towards east towards Cujira into field and khazan areas.
"Instead of broadening the existing road, a new one is shown through eco sensitive zones with a purpose. Once the roads are laid, the reclamation of fields for housing and other uses will start," Peter Gonsalves, a villager said.
The villagers have raised a banner of protest against the inclusion of village areas under Bambolim planning area, alleging non-transparency in the process and questioning development through paddy fields, marshy swamps and pristine green area near the Bondvoll lake.
A group of residents assembled outside the St Cruz panchayat while the body was about to commence its fortnightly meeting and shouted slogans against the PDA proposal. "Amkam naka, amkam naka, PDA amkam naka" (We don't want inclusion (of village areas) in PDA), they shouted.
The villagers also confronted sarpanch Mariano Araujo and grilled him over the decision to approve inclusion of parts of St Cruz under a PDA. In a heated discussion, they pointed out that the gram sabha on December 17 last year had opposed the government move and had adopted a resolution to that effect.
Araujo tried to maintain that the panchayat was amenable to the inclusion in the interest of development. But the villagers criticized the decision, stating that the village development committee (VDC) of the panchayat was involved in planning, but the committee or the people had not been taken into confidence.
