The One Goa township project formally started in Karapur village, Bicholim taluka, North Goa, in 2025 by the House of Abhinandan Lodha (HOABL) through its group companies, including Karapur Estates Pvt Ltd and Errichter Infra Pvt Ltd. The project plan includes construction of 1,388 luxury villa plots, with amenities such as a clubhouse, a gym, and a 5‑star hotel.

Under the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) Notification, 2006, construction projects covering more than 50 hectares require prior Environmental Clearance (EC). Registered with the Goa Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Goa RERA), the overall development spans roughly 53.5–53.94 hectares (about 130 acres) across multiple survey numbers and is being implemented in phases. According to the petitioners, the One Goa project exceeds this threshold but has proceeded without obtaining such clearance.

Concerns on environmental degradation

The conflict emerged in 2024, when residents of Karapur began raising concerns over the project’s scale and its potential environmental and planning impacts. Villagers alleged that the township would be environmentally unfavourable, affecting local water resources, agricultural land, biodiversity, and the area's rural character. Residents demanded a halt to the 5.5 lakh sqm housing project, citing loss of forest, livelihood, and lack of basic infrastructure already missing from the area. They also questioned the changes in land use and claimed that statutory procedures and planning regulations had not been properly followed. 

In March 2025, five residents led by Pravinsingh Arjun Shedgaonkar filed a Public Interest Litigation (PILWP No. 688/2025) before the High Court of Bombay at Goa, challenging the approvals granted to the project.  The petition further alleges that, without a final no-objection certificate, developers began plot sales on 23 August 2024, and by 19 February 2025, 284 plots had been registered for a large combined amount. 

Construction without environmental clearance

The PIL further states that the sale of plots before obtaining the final No-Objection Certificate (NOC) violates Condition 13 of the Provisional NOC, which prohibits the sale of plots until the final NOC has been issued.

The PIL alleges that over 25 lakh square meters of land originally classified as paddy fields under an irrigation command area was reclassified as settlement zones by the TCP department under Rane's watch. Additionally, crucial village roads in the Bicholim taluka, where the land is situated, were allegedly deleted from planning maps to make the consolidated project layout viable.

In July 2026, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Western Zone Bench (Pune), admitted a separate plea filed by Shashikant Gaonkar and three other villagers against the One Goa project. The NGT application specifically targets development on Survey Nos. 148/0 and 176/1 at Karapur, alleging construction and land development without prior environmental clearance. The matter has been listed for hearing on 1 September 2026. 

According to a report, most of the protestors are from the Scheduled Tribe and OBC communities. Protesters demanded the immediate suspension of all project activities and similar mega housing projects in the villages, and a comprehensive and independent environmental impact assessment before any further development. 

Controversies over the use of Section 39A

A central legal issue in the dispute is the use of Sections 17(2) and 39A of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, 1974 (page no 29). Section 17(2), introduced through amendment, allowed plot-by-plot "corrections" to the Regional Plan, enabling the conversion of agricultural and green-zone land to settlement use without rigorous public consultation. Section 39A, inserted in 2024, further permits changes in land-use zoning for individual parcels, subject to a 30-day public notice.

According to petitioners and activists, this project approval is a “colourable exercise of power” and an abuse of these provisions, allowing large‑scale township development without comprehensive environmental assessment or proper regional planning oversight. Residents have organised protests, public meetings, and awareness campaigns demanding the cancellation of the project. In July 2026, residents marked 100 days of continuous protest by staging a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, bringing national attention to the dispute.

The promoter maintains that “all approvals are in place” and that the project is fully compliant with RERA and TCP laws, accusing activists of trying to politicise the issue. Authorities, including ministers and other continues to defend large‑scale land‑use conversions under the new provisions as part of development and investment while the matter remains pending before the High Court. As of July 2026, the PIL is listed for admission after notice, and no final judgment has been delivered.