To Goanet - The CCP has conducted several raids on the encroachers and unauthorized vendors in Panjim in the past few weeks but the illegal hawkers/squatters magically re-appear with their wares unscathed and resume operations. I decided to investigate this seeming immortality of the violators of Panjim's city laws. The spoor lead me to an unusually candid top official who gave me all the dirt.
In one sentence: Whatever good the CCP does, Monserrate undoes. Monserrate and his coterie of about 4 corporators are responsible for Panjim going to the dogs. They shelter ghatis and provide them protection. Ghatis are a rich source of haftas and pliant votes. I was told that the CCP can clean up the mess in the entire city within a space of a couple of days if only Monserrate and his thugs would let it do its job. This is an outrage and I wonder why the citizens of Panjim are taking it lying down. Monserrate & Co are allowing ghatis to take over the city, and it doesn't seem to bother anyone. It also raises another question: why hasn't Manohar Parrikar, the MLA of Panjim, not addressed this issue? I have penciled in an appointment with him and will follow it up. I was also told of the extent of bullying done by the outsiders. A top Bengali official in the Goa govt has thrown his weight around the CCP demanding that Bengali fisherfolk be given the rights to do business under the Mandovi bridge. Can any Goan even dream of an obverse scenario in ANY other Indian state? The Goan will be cut up into pieces and fed to the wolves. But anyone can today walk into Goa and screw you, the Goan. Dear Panjimites - sleep now at your own peril. Your children will soon have to dodge ghati cycles and turds at every city corner. Warm regards, r