Goa, May 18 -- An ordinary gram sabha of the Olaulim-Pomburpa panchayat erupt-ed on Sunday as furious villagers unanimously re-solved to demand the im-mediate removal of fencing around a private forest area linked to a proposed mega project.

At the gram sabha chaired by newly elected Sarpanch Maria Fernandes e Horta along with Panchayat Sec-retary Kritesh Korgaonkar, villagers expressed concern over environmental damage and the possibility of large-scale development in eco-logically sensitive areas of the village.

A proposal moved by villager Mithon Mhambre pertained to fencing per mission granted by the panchayat in a private for-est area surveyed under No. 29/1-C of Pomburpa vil-lage. Residents alleged that the fencing was linked to a...