VELSAO: The relentless fight started by late Matanhy Saldanha, finally ended after 30 years, when promoters of the illegal hotel project of Kyle San Holidays Pvt. Ltd, at Primeiro Vaddo, Velsao, came down after a prolonged legal battle in the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal. The hotel violated coastal regulation zone(CRZ) 1991.
Locals alleged the construction was done on a sand dune. Many other lands have been purchased along the shore by Delhi parties, they stated and called on TCP not to grant them permissions for construction.
The case against Kyle San Holidays Pvt Ltd was first filed in the High Court of Bombay, at Goa and then was sent to the National Green Tribunal, Pune, where the order was passed for demolition in 2014 and subsequently the Supreme Court of India passed demolition order in 2017.
Camilo Souza Ex panch of Velsao who was a panch in 2002 stated that the late Matanhy Saldanha spearheaded the fight which has finally come to an end.
“It was during my term as panch that I had collected all evidence on the instruction of late Matanhy Saldanha who then filled the petition with his own money, today we remember him for his commitment which has yielded fruits even after his death.”Camilo Souza, Ex panch of Velsao
Local Panch of the ward Francisco Braganza stated that his panchayat was instructed by the court to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh because of the misdeed of the committee members who had supported this project.
“My Sarpanch had written several letters to the collector to execute the demolition of the hotel as per the court direction. He had also warned the TCP and the CRZ department not to approve the projects without inspecting the ground reality in the village. I and my panchayat will fight tooth and nail against all such mega projects coming in our village which are against the interest of villagers and environment. I appeal to the landlords not to sell land to outsiders but to local goans so that the village sanctity is protected.”Francisco Braganza, Panchayat Member VP Velsao
Olencio Simoes stated that he remembered the days as a young teen when his uncle late Matanhy Saldanha used to get death threats on his mobile and landline but he never bowed down to the pressure but by the hotelier.
“Today the villagers of Velsao have found justice after so many decades. It's a pity state of affairs that the collector did not act even after the Supreme court order which was passed in 2017 to demolish the hotel, which took 7 years to demolish the hotel.”Olencio Simoes, Resident of Velsao
Simoes has also warned the GCZMA and the TCP for approving mega projects in NDZ in CRZ or NDS in hilly areas, as the CRZ notification was bought to protect the livelihoods of fisher communities, farmers and other local communities, living in the coastal areas, to conserve and protect coastal stretches, its unique environment and its marine area but unfortunately the fishers who fought to bring this notification is used against them by bring such illegal mega projects in coastal areas. He also thanked Goa Foundation Adve.Norma and Dr Claude Alvares for their selfless legal service which has bought this case to a logical conclusion