News Articles
Mega-housing projects in villages faces stiff opposition
BY HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MARCH 15 â The momentum against mega-housing projects across the Stateâs countryside is gaining momentum with each passing day.
Saturday saw Goa Hitrakhan Manch expressing its strong opposition to the recent trend of mega-housing projects proposed in Goan villages by builders from outside the State.
Fully supporting the sentiments of the people of Carmona in opposing the mega-project, which has a provision to build 618 apartments spread across 90,000 sq mt, the Manch has called upon the elected representatives in the Carmona Panchayat to oppose the invasion of Goa and Goenkarponn by rejecting the project lock, stock and barrel.
GHM expressed its dismay at the utter insensitivity exhibited by the local self-governing bodies and various government authorities while considering such projects, mostly promoted by builders from outside the State.
GHM spokesman Prashant Naik has said the GHM is fully convinced that projects of such magnitude will totally devastate the Goan character of the villages, considering their impact on the demography of the area. âThe burdens on the local infrastructure, including roads, electricity, water supply, garbage disposal etc will cause insurmountable hardships to the Goenkar population of these villagesâ, Naik said.
Referring to the mega-project proposed in Carmona by a non-Goan builder, Naik said the project threatens to trample over all vestiges of Goenkarponn in the vicinity. The project, which comprises of more than 618 flats, is proposed to be constructed in a ward in Carmona that presently has only 86 houses. The influx due to this project will have a devastating impact on the infrastructure of the village, considering the huge requirements of power, water and garbage disposal.
âThe sociological impact will also be irreversible, as the overwhelming majority of the flat owner will be outsiders, given the exorbitant prices of the apartments and the known inclination of non-Goan builders to seek buyers from outside the Stateâ, Naik asserted.
