Panaji: The survey of the proposed project site for the Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh is expected to be completed by Wednesday afternoon, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) consultant Pramod Badami said on Tuesday.
Badami said the survey work resumed in the evening as only a small portion of the area remained to be covered. He said the survey had initially begun from the lake area and was now being carried out at the proposed Unity Mall site, adding that around 99.9 per cent of the work had already been completed. He said approximately 22 metres of the survey was pending and that the remaining work would be taken up on Wednesday morning and completed by afternoon, after which the data would be compiled.
Badami said the survey was being conducted strictly as per the requirements put forward by the villagers and that all aspects raised by them had been taken into consideration. He clarified that the document being prepared was a status report, not a findings report, and was being compiled as mandated by the government. He said that after the report submitted, experts would take a decision based on its contents.
Activist Ajay Kholkar said villagers were presently satisfied with the manner in which the survey was being carried out. He said the authorities had marked all points indicated by the villagers and that once a brief report of Tuesday’s survey was received, it would be reviewed on Wednesday to suggest any changes or rectifications, if required. He said the survey was aimed at demarcating the zone of influence and not at facilitating the project.
Meanwhile, Goa Mahila Congress president Pratiksha Khalap said there was “foul play” behind the projects. She said large tracts of land around the site were being targeted for sale in the real estate market. She alleged that after selling Mopa for a casino city, the authorities want to turn Goa into “another Las Vegas”.
