Chimbel Tourism Projects
Chimbel village has been a contested site for several development projects proposed by the Government of Goa. Three major projects planned in recent years on this site are the Chimbel IT Township, the Unity Mall, and the Prashasan Stambh, and are either stalled or forced to relocate due to strong resistance from the residents. The land’s proximity to the ecologically sensitive Toyyar Lake wetland, concerns regarding environmental degradation, and the erosion of livelihood and cultural identity have fueled opposition. The Toyyar Lake is notified by the Goa State Wetland Authority as a ‘wetland’ and a critical ecological catchment. It is a vital water source for ground water recharge, significant biodiversity and local livelihoods especially for the indigenous community. It also acts as a natural flood buffer for surrounding areas.
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Chimbel IT Tech Park -
The Chimbel IT township project was proposed across 4.54 lakh sqm of agricultural land. After protests through 2016 - 2018, the movement gained steam in 2019, leading to a PIL filed at Bombay HC by the Chimbel Gram Seva Kala Ani Sunskrutik Manch & Goa Foundation. The project is stalled due to its contested location.
Chimbel Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh Protest -
Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) and the General Administration Dept (GAD) respectively initiated the Ekta Mall to promote and sell the state's local products under the PM Unity Mall of the "One District, One Product" scheme. GAD's 'Prashasan Stambh' plans a 75-metre-high administrative building and most of the land intended for the IT Township project was transferred to the Tourism Department and the GAD.
While local residents protested, the construction of the Chimbel Unity Mall continued, violating a December 2025 interim stay order by the High Court. Protests intesified, and the Chimbel village residents rallied and launched a hunger strike to resist the projects, demanding relocation of the projects and a re-notification of Toyyar Lake as a wetland with a re-survey of its zone of influence. The protesting residents organised a Maha Andolan demonstration on 30th January 2026, and continued their sit-in until they received formal notification from both the tourism department and the GAD confirming the relocation of the projects in early February 2026. They ended over a month-long chain hunger strike to protect the Toyyar wetland.
