Curation Team
PANAJI: Chimbel residents performed a Gharane (prayer) before Dev Baigankaar at Kadamba Plateau on Sunday, opposing the proposed construction of the Unity Mall and a 17-storey Prashaasan Stambh. The ritual took place a day after union minister Amit Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for the projects.
Govind Shirodkar, president of the GAKUVED federation and a resident of Chimbel, said that chief minister Pramod Sawant and tourism minister Rohan Khaunte are actively working to destroy the biodiversity of Toyaar lake.
“In 2018, they proposed building an IT park for their own benefits. With all our prayers and strength, that project was cancelled, and we Chimbelkars got justice,” said Shirodkar.
He said the lake once served as a water source for areas surrounding Chimbel, including Panaji, St. Inez, and Ribandar during the Portuguese era, and must be preserved at all costs. Shirodkar added that work on the project has already begun with fences being put up around the construction site. “The lake is a lifeline for us, it supports the Chimbelkars, the greenery, and the farms of Chimbel. This lifeline is being choked. Our beloved nature is in danger,” he said.
