In a massive show of strenght activists of various
NGO's representatives of the Village Panchayats and
others from all over Goa went through the streets of
Panaji from the Pato end and culminated at the Customs
House. The massive morcha took every one in surprise
and estimated to be over 6000 as per the police
intelligence reports as confirmed to this writer.
Every one was in unanimaty with the view that the Town
& Country Planning Ordinance should be scraped and
they were not prepared to accept that "the Ordinance
is as good as dead " as stated by the CM Mr Pratapsing
Raoji Rane..to newsmen last evening.
There were numerous slogans which gave an indication
that Goa needs to be saved from making it a concrete
jungle. The Goa Suraj Party the Goa Environment
Federation, the Peoples Movement for Civic action and
the South Goa Public Interest Action Group the MACU
from Mapusa etc, Citizens groups from Calangute Penha
de Franca Salvador do Mundo too joined the morcha.
Speaker after speaker denounced the draconian
ordinance and many felt there was ulterior motive in
the ordinance as the TCP Minister could not move the
Goa Town & Country Planning Bill in the Assembly on
the last date.
There were insinuations against the TCP Minister
stating in no uncertain terms that he was holding the
Government at ransom. Some others stated that he
could be a nuisance to any political party.
There was a clear apprehension in the minds of the
people that the section 33(1) of the TCP would infact
authorise the Government viz; the TCP Minister to
cover in non planning areas making the very concept of
the ordinance infructuous.
Ms Nirmala Sawant ex INC and Minister for Power , Ms
Patricia Pinto ex Councillor of Corporation of City of
Panaji and Ms Victoria Fernandes spelt out clearly
that is it Stree shakti that will teach a lesson to
those who try to destroy Goa and Goans.
Ms Victoria Fernandes INC MLA of Santa Cruz Assembly
constituency who is the Convenor of the Santa Cruz
Constituency Citizens Committee made a shocking
disclosure that after the Constitution 73rd and 74th
amendment Act giving power to the people by granting
statutory powers to local bodies like the
Municipalities the Village Panchayats there was in
fact a Goa Town & Country Planning Act (Revised) based
on the Model Urban Regional Planning and Development
Law prepared by the Ministry of Urban Affairs and
Employment Govt of India New Delhi prepared in
October 1998. This model act ought to have been
considered by the Indian National Congress Party then
in power but the same was apparently not considered
because devolution of power to the Village Panchayats
and Municipalities would take away the wind out of the
sails of MLA's and this was given a "decent burial"
The concept of development envisaged through District
Planning Committees following the Constitution
amendment of 1992 were also not considered by the
Government before bringing this draconian ordinance in
the guise of a beneficial legislation; even though at
a Technical Convention on New Regional Plan for Goa
and Model Town and Country Planning Act " Goa beyond
2000 " held on 9th October 1998 and organised by the
Town and Country Planning Department Govt of Goa and
the Institute of Town Planner India all the
projections of Town & Country Planning were discussed
by eminent Town Planners.
Therefore she questioned what was the need of the
ordinance? was it to override the Village Panchayats
and Muncipalities and the power they have given to the
people, or was it intended with some ulterior motive?
She therefore reiterated that it is the voice of the
people that has demanded the ordinance be thrown out,
there is no point keeping a dead body in the House --
apparently referring to the statement of the Chief
Minister.
Meanwhile the NGOs and others were wondering over the
statement made by the INC spokesman at a function
organised by the cable TV Goa 365 where he had stated
that the INC Government is with the people, they have
given full backing to the agitation by one of its
members and that the ordinance would be scrapped by
Saturday, 19th November 2005 but that has not happen
giving credence to the general belief the the INC was
trying to mollify the agitators about the next course
of action.
Meanwhile Ms Victoria Fernandes will be flying to New
Delhi accompanied by some members of those
spearheading the movement including this writer on
22nd November,2005 to impress upon the Government the
consequences of the adamant attitude of the INC
Government in maintaining the ordinance despite such
peaceful and orderly agitation.
As regards the future course of action there was a
reiteration of the earlier stand that there would be
no disruption of the IFFI as it was a national pride
to have the opportunity to host the same, but what is
needed that the INC led coalition Government could not
hold the damocles sword of the ordinance on the one
hand and expect them to dance in glee during the IFFI.
The future course of action will be announced
depending upon the visit to New Delhi. However one
thing is cleared that the oridnance which has come
about with ulterior motives should go.
Meanwhile the police had a heavy bandobust and
National Security Guards and Commandos were ordered in
attention at the Customs House end to prevent any
untoward incident. However the morcha went on
extremely peaceful and ended at about 1700 hrs.
Incidentally the Shiv Sena also extended support
demanding the scrapping of the ordinance while the BJP
chose to stay away from the morcha contrary to their
earlier stance.
>From the Panaji end
Godfrey J I Gonsalves
Borda Margao Goa
__________________________________________________________
Enjoy this Diwali with Y! India Click here
http://in.promos.yahoo.com/fabmall/index.html
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Give at-risk students the materials they need to succeed at DonorsChoose.org!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/wlSUMA/LpQLAA/E2hLAA/0FHolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
http://www.goa-world.com
http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Live Konkani Music
http://www.mahableshwar.com/
Addresses:
Post message: gulf-goans@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
URL to this page:
http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulf-goans/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
