Team Goemkarponn
FATORDA: In a strong move to protect Goa’s land and identity, Fatorda MLA and Goa Forward Party President, Vijai Sardesai has announced that he moved a Private Member’s Bill in the upcoming Budget Session to roll back controversial amendments that have left Goan villages vulnerable to exploitation.
Sardesai revealed that he received a Draft Bill from Retd. Chief Justice Ferdino Rebello under the banner of the “Enough is Enough” movement, a document he described as carrying the pain, anger, and determination of thousands of Goans watching their land being systematically erased.
The proposed Bill seeks to restore the status quo ante prior to the controversial amendments to Section 17(2) and Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, as well as provisions under the Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Act, 2023.
“This is not development. What we are witnessing is the destruction of our villages and a silent assault on Goa’s identity,” Sardesai said.
He warned that unchecked amendments and ad-hoc zone changes are transforming Goa’s rural and ecological landscape beyond recognition.
Emphasising the gravity of the situation, Sardesai declared, “Goa is not for sale. Our soil is not a commodity. Our future will not be bartered away.”
He termed the upcoming legislative effort as a decisive battle to safeguard Goa’s land, identity, and future generations, and called upon all legislators to rise above party lines and support the restoration of planning safeguards that protect the state’s fragile social and environmental fabric.
“This is a moment of reckoning. Enough is truly enough,” Sardesai concluded.
