Digital Goa, Jan 26 – Villagers of St Cruz held a meeting to voice serious concerns over the protection of the Bondvoll wetland. Villagers unanimously demanded safeguarding of the Zone of Influence, including the mandatory 200-metre buffer, to protect the environment, local ecology, and the interests of residents. During the meeting, villagers submitted three key demands to local MLA Rudolf Fernandes. These include the notification of the entire Bondvoll watershed as a Zone of Influence; suspension and/or withdrawal of all technical clearances granted since August 2025, including the suspension of any additional FAR approved by the TCP Department within the Zone of Influence; and an immediate suspension by the St Cruz village panchayat of all licences issued without due consideration of the ecological sensitivity of the lake and without consultation with the village biodiversity management committee and the Bondvoll lake management committee. The villagers stated that the government has been given one week to initiate visible and concrete action. Failure to do so, they warned, would result in a chain hunger strike as a mark of protest. MLA Rudolf Fernandes, who was present at the meeting, assured them that he would place their demands before the government for appropriate action.
