Panaji: In a major victory for the people of Chimbel, who protested for the past two weeks against twin projects of govt, the district sessions court on Wednesday quashed the construction licence issued to the project proponent, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC).In a revision application, the principal district judge quashed and set aside the order of the block development officer, as well as the order of the deputy director of panchayats, and also quashed and set aside the construction licence issued by the secretary of Chimbel panchayat.“Therefore, no activity as of today can go on at the site of Unity Mall,” said advocate Malisa Simoes, representing the local biodiversity management committee chairperson Govind Shirodkar.The panchayat resolved to reject the application for the issuance of any construction licence for the project, but the GTDC challenged the resolution before the block development officer, Tiswadi, who directed the panchayat to issue a construction licence within 24 hours.The panchayat then challenged this order before the deputy director of panchayats, who dismissed the revision application, upholding the order of the BDO. Shirodkar then filed a revision application under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act.At the last hearing on Dec 6, the court granted ad-interim relief to Shirodkar, staying the orders of the deputy director and the BDO. The court observed that construction was going on in full swing and that Shirodkar raised serious contentions on the validity of the construction licence and permissions issued in favour of the GTDC, and, in the court’s opinion, the GTDC was required to be interim stopped from further construction.The residents protested against the project, stating that it will have a direct impact on the notified wetland Toyyar Lake, or Chimbel Lake, a critical ecological catchment and historic water source essential for groundwater recharge, biodiversity, and the livelihood of local residents, particularly indigenous and tribal communities.
