Bicholim: After 161 days of protest against the proposed mega housing project by House of Abhinandan Lodha (HOABL), residents of Karapur-Sarvan on Saturday called off their agitation after the village panchayat issued a stop-work notice to HOABL Impactum Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, the company undertaking the project.The development came after chief minister Pramod Sawant recently met the villagers and assured them in the assembly that the issue would be addressed. He subsequently directed the deputy collector to review all permissions granted for the project and take a decision in the interest of the villagers.Social activist Swapnesh Sherlekar said the stop-work notice was issued following the intervention of the CM, North Goa collector, Bicholim deputy collector and panchayat authorities.Dr Swapnil Salelkar, convenor of Karapur Gramastha Ekvoticho Aawaz, said issuing a stop-work notice to the company was the villagers’ primary demand.“Since our primary demand has now been fulfilled, we have decided to withdraw the agitation,” Salelkar said.Advocate Ajay Prabhugaonkar said that if the villagers found that the stop-work notice was not being properly implemented, they could approach the appropriate authority and seek further action.Local resident Gauresh Ghadi said the villagers decided to call off the agitation after the panchayat issued the notice, which was signed by sarpanch Avani Sawant.House of Abhinandan Lodha, in a statement, acknowledged receiving the stop-work order issued by the Karapur panchayat. The company said it had faced similar orders on two previous occasions and had challenged them before the competent appellate authority, which quashed and set them aside as being without legal basis.“This is not the first such order we have faced in relation to these projects. On two previous occasions, similar orders were challenged by us before the competent appellate authority and were quashed and set aside as being without legal basis. The appellate authority had also made strong observations on the manner in which such orders had been issued and the consequences that could follow,” the company said.HOABL said it would approach the competent authority again and take all necessary steps to have the present order quashed in accordance with law.“All requisite permits and permissions for the Bicholim projects are in place. Development commenced after we acquired the land in 2023–24, and objections were publicly invited, with none raised at the time. We remain confident that there is no lawful basis to obstruct the projects and that we will deliver them within the timelines committed to our customers,” the company said.The villagers have maintained that their agitation was aimed at protecting Karapur-Sarvan’s natural resources and ensuring development did not come at the cost of the village’s environment.Residents have alleged that the proposed housing project could adversely affect the village’s green cover, groundwater, natural water bodies, and agricultural land, besides hills and other ecologically sensitive areas. They described the stop-work notice as a major victory for their movement, with several locals crediting women protesters for their sustained participation in the agitation.
