Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa government has decided to abandon the proposed ‘Aarti Ghat’ project at Naroa in Bicholim, following protests by local residents. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured that the initiative will not move forward.
“Aarti Ghat, which was scheduled to begin at Naroa from May, has been scrapped. The Chief Minister has assured us it will not take place,” MLA Rajesh Faldesai told reporters after meeting the CM at his official residence on Monday evening.
The decision comes after residents from Divar, Naroa, Akhada, Vanxim, and neighboring villages staged a protest at the site on Sunday, highlighting the cultural and religious importance of the land. Protestors argued that the area has been used as a crematorium for generations and must be preserved, warning that commercial development could disrupt centuries-old traditions.
Villagers also expressed concern that the project reflected the government’s prioritization of tourism revenue over cultural heritage, and could transform a sacred space into a tourist attraction.
The initiative, estimated to cost around Rs 10 crore and first proposed in May last year, had faced objections from local communities from the outset.
The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) had planned to develop the banks of the Mandovi River at Narve into a ‘Ghat Aarti’ site, inspired by the aarti ceremonies performed along the Ganga. The project had even secured Coastal Regulation Zone approval from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority.
Plans included the construction of an “aarti deck” with supporting infrastructure such as a puja mandap, seating arrangements, ticket counter, cafeteria, tourist information centre, floating jetty, small boats, a ferry ramp, and a statue of Lord Shiva. With the government’s latest decision, all such plans have now been officially cancelled.
