Awareness drive flags 70 housing projects, water shortage at Tivim

RGP chief calls for unity to preserve village

Mapusa: An awareness campaign under the banner ‘Amchem Kopel AmkamZai – Save St Francis Xavier Chapel at Gavoim’ was launched in Tivim, with organisers claiming that over 70 mega projects and luxury villas have been approved in the village since 2022.

As part of the initiative, a series of corner meetings are being organised across different wards of the panchayat to appeal to villagers to unite and protect Tivim.

At a meeting held on Sunday, Revolutionary Goans Party president Manoj Parab presented a PowerPoint presentation explaining how the village has been under attack due to the approval of more than 70 projects, including mega projects and luxury villas, which he said would impact the environment and demography.

Addressing the gathering, Parab said Tivim is facing pressure from the builders’ lobby, with mega projects and luxury villas with swimming pools coming up, which would lead to urbanisation and disturb the peace of the village.

Citing examples of Moira, Siolim and Assagao, where large-scale construction activity is underway, Parab said that under Section 39A, around 1.60 sqm of land has been converted in Tivim, which he claimed is second only to Old Goa. “Hence, we need to unite to protect and preserve Tivim village for future generations,” he said.

He also highlighted water shortage issues in the village. “If these 70 projects come up, the water supply to the village will be further affected,” said Parab.