Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: A joint site inspection of land earmarked for the proposed Unity Mall at Chimbel began today but was later postponed after objections were raised by villagers over the limited scope of the exercise.
Officials who arrived at the site initially commenced inspection of only the proposed mall area, prompting villagers to demand that the survey cover the entire stretch from Toyyar Lake to the project site.
Following delays and discussions at the spot, both villagers and authorities agreed to defer the exercise and undertake a comprehensive survey on Wednesday, combining physical verification with Google satellite imagery.
Pramod Badami, Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department and consultant to the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), said the inspection was being conducted in accordance with directions issued by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
He stated that a full survey of the wetland area was being carried out, with a focus on drainage patterns and the zone of influence linked to Toyyar Lake.
Advocate Melissa, representing villagers opposing the project, however, said officials had only agreed to demarcate Survey No. 40/1 and identify the zone of influence, despite residents seeking a fresh inspection and full demarcation of the wetland area — an assurance they claim was earlier given by the chief minister.
She said the partial inspection conducted today appeared to stem from confusion among authorities.
As the joint inspection began, villagers reiterated that the exercise should not be confined to the proposed mall plot alone. They demanded demarcation of the entire 4.5 lakh square metres of government-owned land at Chimbel.
Officials maintained that the inspection was meant to assess the zone of influence and drainage lines of Toyyar Lake within Survey No. 40/1.
Earlier, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that while visible construction activity at the Unity Mall site had not yet begun, preparatory work and procurement had already been completed. He added that ₹25 crore from the funds sanctioned by the Centre for the project had already been spent.
Appealing to protesters to call off their agitation, Sawant said the issue could still be resolved through dialogue. He reiterated the government’s position that the Unity Mall project does not fall within the wetland’s zone of influence, according to official assessments.
To address concerns, the chief minister suggested that both sides appoint independent surveyors to jointly verify whether the site lies within the claimed zone.
He also said the government owns about 4.5 lakh square metres of land in Chimbel, including around 20,000 square metres along the national highway, and that the project should be allowed to proceed if the land is found to be outside the zone of influence.
On the issue of wetlands, Sawant said the government was open to formally earmarking land identified by residents as wetlands, stating that the move would be in Chimbel’s long-term interest.
