NT Reporter
Panaji
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s statement that a further decision on the proposed Unity Mall would be taken after a survey, Chairman of the Wetland and Biodiversity Committee Govind Shirodkar on Thursday said, “This clearly indicates that the project can be cancelled.”
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, during a meeting with Chimbel villagers on Wednesday, said shifting the project to another site would be difficult as it had already reached an advanced stage. He also said that Rs 25 crore had already been spent on the project.
Questioning the government’s stand, Shirodkar said, “If the Chief Minister is ready to stop the Unity Mall after the survey, if the land falls under the zone of influence, then why not stop it now? Later, Rs 25 crore will not be wasted? Will it stop being a central government project then? This clearly shows the project can be cancelled. So why is the Chief Minister not ready to cancel it now?”
The protest against the proposed Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh project has entered its 26th day, and Shirodkar said they would not withdraw the agitation until the project is completely scrapped. “We were highly disappointed with Wednesday’s meeting with the CM. He was firm on his decision to go ahead with the Unity Mall,” said Shirodkar.
He said the wetland area is around 4.5 lakh sqm and that the government is seeking about 20,000 sqm from it. He said Sawant failed to understand that the land touching the highway is extremely sensitive. He added that both projects together “require 50,000 sqm”, which would be
concretised.
Activist Ajay Kholkar said demarcation of the zone of influence, a revised land notification and acceptance of suggestions and objections from the Lake Management Committee must be completed first. “We demand details of the Rs 25 crore spending. If this structure can be assembled elsewhere and brought here, then it can be used somewhere else too,” he said.
Kholkar also said, “Unity Malls are coming up in 27 states, mostly in cities. Goa is the only state where it is planned in a village.”
