Goans who are up in arms against mega projects in the villages are using gram sabha (village council) to oppose such projects. But questions have been raised by politicians and some intellectuals too, whether the gram sabhas have the powers to stop mega projects. In the light of this, it becomes important to understand the real meaning of gram panchayat and the gram sabha and more importantly to make people aware of their rights in a panchayat set-up. One such attempt was made by a non-political group of individuals from Santa Cruz village, who organized an awareness camp on Panchayati Raj and Gram Sabhas at Santa Cruz high school, on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, Soter D'Souza of Centre for Panchayati Raj, explained how gram sabhas have the power to stop mega projects, which are detrimental to the villagers. Explaining in detail, Soter informed that, "Panchayat is an institution of self-government for rural areas, run by local people and where the local people can participate in all the concerns and functions of the government'. Soter then went to explain that there are several functions listed for self-governance under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 and these functions offer a blue print on the type of development activity that needs to be undertaken in a village. "Many of the activities specified are directly dependent on land and other natural resources and one such activity is