Following sustained pressure from Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) MLA Viresh Borkar and the submission of a formal letter to the Curca-Bambolim Village Panchayat, authorities have issued a stop-work order to Worldwide Resorts in Bambolim. The order comes after allegations of illegal hill-cutting, unauthorized tree felling, and destruction of natural aquifers during the resort’s construction activities.
Environmental activists and local residents, joined by MLA Borkar, have staged multiple protests, highlighting the ecological damage caused by deep excavation and construction on the hill slopes. They allege that these activities have punctured aquifers and destabilized the fragile terrain, sparking widespread concern over the future of Bambolim’s environment.
The Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Goa-SEIAA)’s directive specifically cites the absence of mandatory environmental clearance under the EIA Notification, 2006, and warns that further work could attract legal action, including imprisonment and fines under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Department of Tourism and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority have also taken action, issuing show-cause notices and halting related construction activities.
MLA Viresh Borkar, who led the protests and wrote the letter to the Panchayat, has demanded not only a halt to the ongoing project but also the demolition of illegal structures and stricter enforcement against violations. He has accused government departments of collusion and called for the cancellation of all approvals granted to such projects.
With the stop-work order now in place, attention turns to Chief Minister Dr. Pramod P. Sawant. Activists and the RGP are demanding decisive action against those responsible for the violations, pressing for restoration of damaged areas and accountability for environmental harm.
The ball is now in the Chief Minister’s court, as public pressure mounts for the state government to act against the culprits and ensure the protection of Bambolim’s ecological heritage.