-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- At a meeting held this evening 5th December, 2005 with the Chief Minister of Goa, Mr Pratapsing Raoji Rane at 2016 hrs ( the scheduled time was 1900 hrs but the CM was away at Selaulim in Sanguem) Ms Victoria Fernandes MLA Santa Cruz and Deputy Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly who has been spearheading the over two months agitation on the twin issues of withdrawal of the draconian Town and Country Planning Ordinance of 29/9/2005 and removal of all revenue villages from, the PDA's (incidentally on 4.2.2005 Mr Rane had in "public interest" scrapped all the PDAs and and suddenly brought them back for reasons unknown on 27.9.2005 after Presidents Rule bye elections and the month long budget session selectively including some revenue villages in Panaji and Mapusa excluding all revenue villages from Ponda and Margao, though his INC party had opposed revenue villages in PDA's while in the Opposition) Mr Rane clarified to Ms Fernandes in the presence of the President of the Santa Cruz Constituency Citizens Action Committee Mr Agnelo Oliveira, Mr Agnelo Pereira of the Penha de Franca Citizens Forum Mr Nitin of Salvador do Mundo and this writer that the new incumbent Law Secretary to Goa Government Mr U Bakre ( ex District Judge )was asked to examine the legal aspects of repealing the controversial Town & Country Planning Ordinance of 29/09/2005 and he was awaiting his report thereon. Owing to this Mr Rane clarified he could not reply to the letter of Ms Fernandes wherein she sought written assurance from the CM on the fate of the ordinance and the withdrawal of revenue villages from PDA's It may be noted one NGO People's Movement for Civic Action has received a clarification signed by P S Rane handed over to the NGO by the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Mr Ravi Naik (Ponda MLA) earlier and they have asked for further clarifications from Mr Rane which is awaited.
As regards the exclusion of revenue villages from the PDAs Mr Rane told Mrs Fernandes that her villages of Santa Cruz were already excluded, when pointed out that she had forwarded the resolutions of over seven Village Panchayats who too have approved withdrawal of the villages from PDAs's Mr Rane feigned ignorance of such demands and enquired as to when the same was forwarded to his office. He was told by Ms Fernandes that the same was forwarded to his office on Friday 2nd December, 2005 Mr Rane then agreed to take up this issue with the Cabinet and said it could take a seven to eight days when pressed for a firm committment. However Mr Rane categorically warned the Village Panchayats that demands for exclusion of revenue villages from the PDA's would entail problems of garbage He also referred to the rampant corruption of giving House Numbers to illegal construction and cited the instance of his own constituency where such activity was going on. He further added that his government would bring an amendment to the Village Panchayat Act to ensure that all such Panchayats promoting illegalities would be dissolved. He also bluntly stated that the Calangute Panchayat was indulging in rampant corruption. When asked by this writer that when such positive measures to stop illegalites were appreciated by citizens from all over Goa why no ordinance was brought on this count instead of the controversial TCP ordinance Mr Rane remained mum. Mr Rane also stated that it was late Rajiv Gandhi's desire to have direct elections for Sarpanches so that they could be summarily removed for promoting illegalities as they would be answerable to the entire village Panchayat. The delegation listened to his observations however given the fact that the revenue villages have been selectively included and PDA's hardly bother about the garbage problem one of the members suggested immediate implementation of the 73rd and 74th Amendment to the Constitution. When this writer amd President of SCCAC Mr Oliveira brought to the notice of the Chief Minister that while Santa Cruz Villages were excluded from the PDA's but there was no notification to that effect and as a result from 27th Spetember, 2005 to date the villagers are inconvenienced as they have to obtain clearance NOC under section 49(6) of TCP Act 1974 or development and other permissions under section 44 of TCP Act 1974 from the North Goa Planning Development authority for registration of documents Mr Rane stated that the file has to be moved by the TCP Minister Mr Atanasio Babush Monseratte and he would take up the matter with him to expedite the same. It may be noted that the Sub Registrar cum Civil Registrar Panaji has been insisting and rightly so that unless a gazette notification is issued excluding Santa Cruz villages from PDA's he would continue to insist on clearances NOC from NGPDA as per the 27.9.2005 gazette notification. The meeting ended on the hope that the law department will submit its report immediately to enable Mr Rane a) reply to the letter of Ms Fernandes on the above issues b) repeal the TCP ordinance c) take a Cabinet decision to consider exclusion of villages other than of Santacruz who have vouched for coming out of PDAs and whose representation has been forwarded to the CM on Friday, 2005 d) immediate issue of notification excluding villages of Santa Cruz and preferably with other villages as well as the matter is considerably delayed and the agitators can remain silent no longer. The next seven days therefore is crucial for the Rane Government failing which the agitation may take a different turn the agitators informed Ms Victoria. Other NGO's the PMCA Mr Anand Madgavkar Ms Patricia Pinto the Goa Environment Group Goa Suraj party Mr Floriano Vaz and Sarpanches of villages and other village groups from Siolim Ms Nirmala Sawant ex GPCC President and ex MLA Cumbarjua constituency etc were also present outside the residence. from the CM's residence end Altinho GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO 9822158584 [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________ Enjoy this Diwali with Y! India Click here http://in.promos.yahoo.com/fabmall/index.html