Hearing adjourned in Sinquerim hill matter

Calangute: A hearing on Friday in the Sinquerim hill matter between the Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF) and the Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) before additional collector Pundalik Khorjuvekar at Mapusa was adjourned to March 25 after the CCF said it received the notice of Friday’s hearing only at 5pm on Thursday, leaving it with insufficient time to file its reply

Proceedings before the additional collector started after the CCF lodged a complaint with the authorities on Jan 21 objecting to an application made by IHCL for “conversion of land from agriculture to non-agriculture purpose measuring 1,38,900sqm” at Sinquerim.

After the adjournment, CCF president Premanand Divkar told reporters that it has learnt that state govt has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IHCL this week to set up a skill development centre, likely at Sinquerim. This means govt could speed up the land conversion process and change it to non-agriculture before March 25, he said.

“Earlier, their plan was to build a club house with 88 rooms and other facilities, but because of our objection, they changed it to a skill development centre. But it will still destroy Sinquerim hill,” Divkar said.

“We had highlighted in two recent awareness meetings at Candolim that Sinquerim hill is under threat. A resolution was passed that we will not allow any development there. If govt insists on continuing with this project, we will approach the judiciary,” Divkar said.

“If the project is started, the entire hill will be destroyed and it will become a concrete jungle as all surrounding land will also be developed. If all the hills are destroyed, Goa as we know it will come to an end and that will finish tourism,” he said.

An alleged illegal construction near Fort Aguada at Sinquerim by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was stopped after the high court issued a stay order in a petition filed by the CCF a few months ago.


Stay updated with breaking news, weather updates, bank holidays and upcoming public holidays in march.