Demand scrapping of land acquisition MARGAO: Velim villagers took to the streets on Sunday demanding immediate scrapping of the land acquisition proceedings for the Cutbona fishing harbour project. Armed with placards and banners, hundreds of men and women participated in a protest rally that wend its way from Velim to neighbouring Assolna village with the villagers calling upon the government to respect the their sentiments by scrapping the land acquisition process and not to convert Cutbona into an industrial zone. They threatened to take a similar rally to the district Collectorate building if the process is not scrapped before September 13 – the day when the Land Acquisition office has fixed hearing on the matter. “This protest rally should open the eyes and ears of the government. On Independence Day, the villagers had given a week time to scrap the acquisition process, but the government has not acted till date,” lamented Hector Colaco. He said the Cutbona fishing harbour will not benefit any village and warned of intensifying the agitation till the demand for scrapping of the project is met. Velim Sarpanch Melvyn Sanches told newsmen that the rally should serve as a warning bell to the government and the powers that be to act fast before the villagers intensify their agitation. “Today, the villagers have expressed their solidarity against the land acquisition. It is time for the government to scrap the proceedings,” he asserted. A local boat owner from Cutbona Sebastiao Cardozo said the government should take cognizance of the sentiments of the villagers and scrap the project. “The villagers are not only against the fish meal plant, but against the land acquisition process as well,” he said and warned that people would march to the district Collectorate on September 13 if the land acquisition process is not scrapped by then.