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Goa Land-Use Protest Escalates as Borkar Rejects CM’s Offer on Section 39A

The fight targets a provision that allows case-by-case zoning changes, which protesters say opened ecologically sensitive village land to conversion.

Overview

  • Chief Minister Pramod Sawant offered to keep Section 39A approvals in St André in abeyance if the hunger strike ends, stopping short of promising repeal.
  • RGP MLA Viresh Borkar continued his indefinite fast after a brief hospitalisation, insisting on revoking land conversion orders and scrapping Section 39A statewide.
  • Panaji police transferred three officers after allegations that Borkar was manhandled during an earlier eviction at the TCP office.
  • Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesai said he has tabled a Bill in the Assembly to withdraw Section 39A and address related land issues.
  • Opposition leaders rallied at Azad Maidan and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal publicly backed the agitation, urging immediate abolition of the provision.