“Calangute Villagers Rise Up: ‘Not For Sale’ Echoes Through Baga Hills as Govt Faces Heat Over Zoning Flip-Flop”
Calangute: In a bold move, villagers of Calangute constituency have sounded the alarm over a proposed zoning change that could spell disaster for the fragile ecosystem of Baga Hills. Over 100 stakeholders, led by concerned citizens, have submitted a scathing objection to the Town and Country Planning Department, slamming the move as a blatant attempt to benefit private interests at the cost of environmental sustainability.
The proposed change, seeking to convert 65,310 sq. mtrs of land from Natural Cover and No Development Slope to Settlement Zone, has been slammed as “anti-people” and “anti-environment”. Villagers argue that the move will irreversibly damage the village environment, disturb the ecological balance, and increase the risk of landslides, flooding, and loss of biodiversity.
The Gram Sabha of Village Arpora-Nagoa Panchayat has unanimously rejected the proposals, with residents branding the TCP Board’s recommendations as “made in the interest of the builders’ lobby and real estate interests”. The villagers are now urging the government to scrap Section 39-A of the TCP Act, which they claim is being misused to destroy agricultural land, hills, forests, and village ecology.
The controversy has sparked a heated debate, with villagers vowing to oppose the move through democratic, legal, and constitutional means. As one resident put it, “Enough is enough. Hills of Calangute Constituency are not for sale.”
A memorandum with over 800 signatures and 40 pages has been submitted to the authorities, highlighting the strong opposition to the proposed change.
Loading ...