Goa Village Blocks Rahejas’ Mega Housing Project

Real estate major Rahejas’ move to gain a foothold in Goas emerging properties market has run into a storm in a laid-back South Goa village.

The realty giant’s plans to implant a glitzy mega housing project with 93 pools in the heart of the Carmona village have been blocked after violent clashes in the local village panchayat. Pushed into a corner by increasing resistance in the village against the project, Carmona Sarpanch Estaquio D’Costa has agreed to recall the Raheja plans sent to the government for approval. “If villagers don’t want it, I am all for withdrawing the file,” said the sarpanch.
Writer-researcher Savia Viegas, co-convener of the Carmona Citizen’s Forum, argues that a project of this scale would transform a largely pastoral village into an “urban Eldorado for the rich”. The forum managed to rally almost the entire village to gain support to block the Raheja project till the government comes out with a new regional plan for the state. Clashes between two groups in the village ended with the panchayat giving in to the majority gram sabha decision to oppose the project.
“There is no sewage system in the village, water supply is inadequate and power unstable. How can such a project benefit the village? It will end up disenfranchising the locals. They will not be able to afford to buy land in their own village,” Viegas says.

– Panaji, Devika Sequeira