CHORAO RISES AGAINST “32ND CHORAO” LUXURY PROJECT “OUR ISLAND IS NOT FOR SALE”

By Staff Reporter

Chorao Island — A fierce grassroots movement has erupted across Chorao Island as residents intensify opposition to the proposed “32nd Chorao” luxury project, part of the 32nd Avenue Group’s ambitious development plans in Goa’s backwaters.

With giant banners declaring “Welcome to Chorao, Our Island Not For Sale” and “Save Chorao, Say No to Mega Projects,” islanders have transformed the jetty entrance into a symbol of resistance against what they describe as unchecked commercialization threatening their fragile ecosystem and traditional way of life.

Residents, environmentalists, and local panchayat members argue that the proposed luxury enclave — reportedly involving floating villas, high-end tourism infrastructure, and exclusive waterfront experiences — could irreversibly damage Chorao’s delicate ecological balance.

At the centre of the controversy lies the famous Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, a protected mangrove habitat renowned for its biodiversity and migratory birdlife. Activists warn that large-scale construction and tourism activity could obstruct natural tidal flows and destroy wetlands, khazan lands, and mangrove forests critical to the island’s environmental health.

Locals have also raised alarm over the strain such mega projects could place on the island’s already limited water and electricity resources. Concerns have been voiced over sewage disposal, groundwater depletion, and alleged illegal filling of bundhs and low-lying lands.

For many islanders, however, the battle goes beyond environmental concerns.

Residents fear that large commercial developments will gradually erase Chorao’s unique Goan identity, alter the island’s social fabric, and lead to indigenous lands being sold to wealthy outside investors.

The resistance movement has gained momentum through gram sabhas and panchayat action. The Chorao-Madel Panchayat has reportedly passed resolutions opposing environmentally destructive commercial projects and demanding that land use remain focused on sustainable, community-driven development.

The campaign has now become part of the wider “Save Goa” movement, where citizens across the state are increasingly voicing concerns over rapid tourism-driven urbanisation, controversial land conversions, and mega infrastructure projects.

“We are not against development. We are against destruction in the name of development,” said a resident during a recent gram sabha meeting.

As protests continue to grow, the message from Chorao’s people remains firm and unmistakable — the island’s ecology, culture, and identity are not for sale.