Margao: Opposition is mounting across several Salcete villages after the Directorate of Panchayats revived the process of seeking comments on a proposal to classify them as urban areas. Varca unanimously rejected the move and demanded that its rural status be retained permanently.
Under a 2020 notification, villages including Aquem, Benaulim, Chinchinim, Curtorim, Davorlim, Nuvem, Raia, Sao Jose de Areal and Varca were proposed to be notified as urban areas.
However, the proposal was kept on hold following opposition. Last month, the Directorate of Panchayats issued a memorandum drawing the BDOs’ attention to a letter from the Under Secretary (Revenue-I) regarding the notification and directed them to ask the panchayats covered under it to examine the proposal and submit their comments on the inclusion of their villages as urban areas.
Responding to the memorandum, the Varca panchayat, at a special meeting, unanimously resolved to strongly oppose the proposal.
“We stand united to protect our environment, khazan lands and natural resources, preserve Varca’s unique rural identity, culture and heritage, safeguard the powers of the gram sabha and village panchayat and protect the interests and future of every Varca resident,” said sarpanch Flavia Barreto.
In its letter to the BDO, the panchayat urged the government to permanently drop the proposal and retain Varca’s rural status, stating that urban classification would destroy the village’s rural character, cultural fabric and architectural heritage; permit high-density development and mega-projects through higher FAR/FSI and relaxed building norms; threaten eco-sensitive areas including agricultural fields, coastal ecosystems, sand dunes and traditional water bodies; strain groundwater resources and worsen sewage and garbage disposal; weaken the gram sabha and panchayat; and impose a heavier financial burden on residents through higher house taxes, commercial licence fees and land
conversion charges.
Meanwhile, Velim MLA Cruz Silva also opposed the proposed urban classification of Chinchinim and Sao Jose de Areal.
“Once our village is made urban, the Revenue Department will make changes to the village, including conversions, FAR increase, and taxes will also change. Therefore, people don’t want this urban tag,”he said.
