Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Mar 12: Viresh Borkar, MLA of the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), on Thursday called off his fast unto death after the Goa government agreed to cancel proposals approved under Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act in his constituency.

Borkar, who represents the St Andre Assembly constituency, had been on a fast unto death for six days at Azad Maidan, Panaji.

He ended his protest after Ankit Yadav, collector of North Goa, met him at the protest site and handed over a letter confirming the cancellation of all projects sanctioned under Section 39A in the St Andre constituency.

Addressing a press conference later, Borkar announced that he was withdrawing his fast but said his campaign to protect the state would continue.

“My battle to save Goa will continue,” he told reporters.

Earlier in the day, Borkar and 28 others were booked by the police for allegedly stealing files and other items from the office of the Town and Country Planning Department, Goa during a protest.

According to officials, the protest was led by Borkar at the office of Chief Town Planner Vertika Dagur in the Patto locality, Panaji on February 20. The demonstration was organised to oppose the change of land zoning in Pale-Siridao village under Section 39A of the TCP Act.

The provision allows the chief town planner to convert non-settlement zones into settlement zones, enabling construction activities.

Protesters reportedly stayed overnight at the office, and Borkar was later removed from the premises by authorities on the morning of February 21.

Tribal leader Govind Shirodkar said that police had registered a case against 29 protesters, including Borkar, alleging that they had taken around 10 files along with fans and cupboards from the TCP office.

Shirodkar dismissed the allegations as baseless, stating that police personnel were present throughout the protest and that the premises were also under CCTV surveillance.