Bicholim, April 17, 2026:
In a significant development from Karapur-Sarvan village, Panch Member Ujwala Kavlekar has formally withdrawn her support to Resolution No. 8/11 dated February 23, 2024, which had granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the construction of an access road linked to a proposed development project.

In a written communication submitted to the Village Panchayat, Kavlekar stated that her earlier support was based on incomplete and misleading information presented during the Panchayat meeting. She alleged that the true purpose of the access road—facilitating a mega housing project by Erricter Infra Pvt. Ltd. / House of Abhinandan Lodha—was never disclosed.

Kavlekar further stated that the resolution was backed under the assumption that the NOC was being sought for a public purpose, allegedly linked to benefits for the village and its residents. “This understanding now appears to be incorrect,” she noted.

Raising legal concerns, she pointed out that Survey No. 19/2 falls under agricultural tenanted land, with tenants recorded in official land records (Form I & XIV). Citing provisions of the Goa Land Use (Regulation) Act, 1991, she argued that any change in land use for such land is legally impermissible.

The Panch Member also flagged a serious lapse in transparency and accountability, alleging that key details about the scale and nature of the project were concealed, thereby undermining the Panchayat’s responsibility to protect community interests and agricultural heritage.

In her letter, Kavlekar not only withdrew her support but also urged fellow Panch members to reconsider their stance and withdraw approvals granted to similar NOCs linked to the same project in other survey areas of Karapur village.

She emphasized that such corrective action is necessary to safeguard the village, uphold statutory compliance, and protect the rights of the local community.

The development is likely to intensify scrutiny over approvals granted for large-scale housing projects in the Bicholim taluka, particularly in areas involving agricultural and tenanted lands.