Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Alleging a complete failure to implement assurances given after the controversial Unity Mall and Prashasan Sthamb projects were scrapped, Chimbel villagers on Thursday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the district administration, warning of a renewed mass agitation if restoration of the project site does not begin immediately.
Representatives of the villagers submitted a reminder memorandum to the Additional Collector, stating that despite repeated commitments by the administration and the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), the affected land remains unrestored nearly five months after the projects were withdrawn.
Addressing the media, activist Anjay Kholkar said substantial portions of the project site continue to remain fenced and the excavated land has not been restored to its original condition.
He alleged that around 20,000 square metres of fencing is still standing despite assurances that it would be removed following the cancellation of the projects.
Kholkar recalled that the villagers had called off their 44-day protest only after the administration announced that the Unity Mall and Prashasan Sthamb projects would not proceed and promised that the land would be restored without delay.
He alleged that those commitments have not been honoured.
The villagers have now given the administration seven days to complete the restoration process, warning that failure to act will leave them with no option but to resume protests on a much larger scale.
Kholkar also questioned whether the delay was linked to the BJP Bhavan located within the same survey area.
He warned that if the government was withholding restoration to protect any structure, the agitation would become more aggressive.
