Unity Mall at Chimbel: When Environmental Clearance Failed Goa and Public Trust Was Betrayed
The controversy surrounding the proposed Unity Mall at Chimbel is no longer confined to questions of land use or commercial development. It has evolved into a grave public issue exposing a deeper crisis in environmental governance in Goa—a crisis marked not only by ecological risk, but by a profound loss of public trust in institutions mandated to protect the environment and the people.
At the centre of this controversy lies a fundamentally defective Environmental Clearance (EC) process, revealing serious failures by the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) to discharge their statutory duties under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
Environmental Clearance: Law, Purpose, and Public Trust
Environmental Clearance is a legal instrument rooted in public trust. Under Sections 3 and 6 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the State is entrusted with the responsibility to regulate activities that may harm the environment, public health, and ecological balance. The EIA Notification, 2006 operationalises this responsibility by mandating prior environmental appraisal for specified projects.
Environmental Clearance exists to ensure that:

• Environmental and social impacts are anticipated, not ignored.
• Decisions are based on scientific evidence and transparency.
• Affected communities are heard, respected, and protected.
• Development proceeds within the limits of ecological carrying capacity.
  These provisions are expressions of the Public Trust Doctrine, under which the State acts as a trustee of natural resources on behalf of present and future generations. Any dilution of this responsibility directly undermines public confidence in governance.
  Mandatory Parameters for Environmental Appraisal
  For large commercial developments such as malls, the EIA Notification, 2006 requires rigorous and holistic assessment of environmental and social impacts. At a minimum, the following parameters must be comprehensively analysed:
• Land Use and Planning Compliance: Verification of approved zoning and town planning permissions.
• Water Environment and Hydrology: Impacts on lakes, wetlands, and springs; flood risk analysis.
• Ecology and Biodiversity: Evaluation of impacts on flora, fauna, and habitats.
• Soil, Geology, and Topography: Analysis of terrain stability and erosion risks.
• Air Quality and Noise: Assessment of pollution and vehicular emissions.
• Infrastructure Load: Traffic impact, parking demand, and load on water/sewage systems.
• Social Impact: Assessment of impacts on local communities and livelihoods.
• Risk and Disaster Management: Flood vulnerability and fire safety.
• Passive Architectural Design: Natural ventilation and thermal performance.
• Resource Efficiency: Water efficiency and solid waste management.
• Light Pollution: Impact of artificial lighting on ecology and residential areas.
  Failure of Statutory Authorities in the Unity Mall Project
  In the Unity Mall project, these mandatory parameters were not comprehensively assessed nor transparently recorded. Statutory pre-conditions such as approved land use and town planning permissions were absent at critical stages, yet the project was advanced. Core issues such as hydrology, the zone of influence of Tolyar Lake, infrastructure carrying capacity, social impact, passive design, and light pollution were inadequately examined or deferred to post-clearance compliance.
  This approach represents a dereliction of statutory duty. SEAC and SEIAA are legally obligated to apply independent judgment, scientific rigour, and due diligence. Their failure to do so amounts to institutional incompetence and gross negligence, striking at the heart of environmental rule of law.
  Loss of Public Trust: The Most Serious Casualty
  Beyond environmental risk, the most damaging consequence has been the collapse of public trust. The people of Chimbel were not engaged as rightful stakeholders but treated as impediments to be managed. Public consultation was reduced to a procedural exercise rather than a genuine dialogue.

“When environmental authorities appear to function as clearance-granting agencies rather than neutral guardians of public interest, faith in the system erodes.”

When approvals are issued despite incomplete data and unresolved risks, citizens begin to believe that outcomes are predetermined. This perception is corrosive; it delegitimises institutions and fractures the relationship between the State and its people.
Political Statements and Institutional Accountability
On 28 January 2026, the Hon’ble Chief Minister stated that the Unity Mall site falls outside the zone of influence of Tolyar Lake and announced that the project would be shifted away from Chimbel. While politically significant, this statement raises an unavoidable question: If relocation is justified today, how was environmental clearance defensible earlier? Executive assurances cannot substitute for scientific appraisal, nor can they absolve statutory authorities of accountability.
A Warning for Goa
The Unity Mall episode forces Goa to confront a fundamental truth: environmental clearance has been reduced from a safeguard to a formality. For original Goan society, land is not a commodity and water is not negotiable. Villages endure because springs flow and lakes breathe.
If Goa loses its water bodies and its people’s faith in environmental governance, no mall and no slogan of “Vikas” will ever replace what is lost. History will not forgive those who signed files without conscience while public trust was being irreversibly eroded.