The first Assembly session of the Goa legislative Assembly for this year begins tommorrow. The session attains significance and importance owing to the fact that following the last session ended 31st August 2005 a political storm was created as a result of the controversial Town & Country Planning ordinance of 29th September, 2005 and the inclusion of the revenue villages in the PDA's dated 27.9.2005 by none other than the Deputy Speaker Ms Victoria Fernandes MLA Santa Cruz, which in itself was a record of sorts. Her making a mention of the ordinance to the President of India during his visit to the State also raised eyebrows but that would not deter the lone women legislator who proved to be a MAN in the assembly. Both issues have been resolved and the ordinance will eventually lapse as per directives of the High Command through the political advisor to the AICC and Congress President Mr Ahmed Patel to the CM of Goa following her summons to New Delhi by the High Command alongwith this writer. In the meanwhile this writer learnt that the revived CBI office in Altinho Panaji Goa (ex CM Manohar Parrikar had wound up this office during his tenure )are yet to be handed over the IFFI 2004 investigations as per latest reports.
The constitution of the committee to review the 900 applications (as confirmed discreetly from that office by this writer) recieved for the Draft Regional Plan 2001 may find mention during this session. Besides that there are over 400 starred and unstarred questions raised for the five day session. In all probability following the Governors address on the first day of the session the Opposition may boycott the session as per reports recieved by this writer. There are about five bills slated thus far to do with the Corporation of City of Panaji Departmemt of Power and an interesting Bill by the Pernem MLA Mr Jeetendra Deshprabhu to prevent and check the menance of Ragging in educational institutions in Goa. According to information just recieved the sensitive amendment to the Official Language Act section 2(c) is also likely to be considered now that the meeting at Azad Maidan in Goa and Karnataka has already stirred the hornets nest. It is left to the MLA's like Francisco DSouza, Mapusa or Mathany Saldhana, Cortalim (subjudice) from the Opposition benches to either table the amendment bill to embarrass the ruling coalition INC NCP MGP Independent or raise the issue as a private members bill or at zero hours to ascertain the mind of the ruling coalition on the issue. Alternatively the MLAs viz Agnelo Fernandes, Calangute Aleixo Sequeira, Loutolim Giovanni Karl Vaz, Mormugao Victoria R. Fernandes St. Cruz Francisco Silveira, St. Andre could table the amendment for the ruling dispensation. A welcome move of the whole revival of the agitation 19 years that the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Wilfred A De Souza MLA Saligao of the Nationalist Congress Party and the coalition partner has publicly stated that he alongwith his other party MLA would support the amendment if tabled in the house at this session. Incidentally there is no word yet from other senior leaders of the Congress like Mr Dayanad Narvekar Mr Francisco Sardinha of the post 1970 batch of elected representatives or the post 1980 batch of elected representatives viz Mr Luizinho Faleiro (apparently busy with his sons impending marriage weekend) or Mr Subhash Shirodkar. The LOO has already assured this writer that his party will not oppose the amendment if tabled in the House. However it must be said to the credit of the Chief Minister that he diplomatically steered clear of the script controversy at the Akhil Bharatiya Konknni Parishad but may have to face the embarrassment of the First Information Report filed by a social activist based in Panaji Mr M K Jos questioning the approval in principle of a grant of Rs 12 lacs for the three day seesion to the institution which has not renewed its registaration since 2000 as confirmed by the office of the Registrar of Societies. Interestingly this session of a short duration is being intended to meet the statutory requirement of holding the next session within six months. Another budget session for VOTE OF ACCOUNT will be held in the last week of March, 2006. In the meanwhile it is not known whether the New Secretariat Building will be ready to shift the entire staff now operating from the old Secretariat Building. The inauguration was expected to be held on Republic Day but had to wait as finishing touches are yet underway. Meanwhile the Integreted Sevices Division is understood to have examined the entire issue of Anjediv Island and its terms and conditions with the Government of Goa following the recent outcry of failure to permit the customary feast and ruin of one of the chapels St Francis de Assissi as per reports recieved by this writer from Binaga Karwar. It is now left to the Government of Goa and the ruling party MLAs making noises on Dabolim and Mopa to address themselves to this issue as well, which has historicity dating back to 1500 when (though the present MLAs which include the CM and his Deputy may not have visited the Zsland till date) and has hurt the sentiments of the Catholic community and Goans in general to make a statement on the floor of the House this session to pull up the Navy for neglect and highhandedness. This writer was also informed by some staff members at the Secretariat at Porvorim that though they were suffering due to non availability of proper food facilities. The present canteen believed to be run by a kin of the Deputy Speaker was hard pressed to meet the demands as payments were delayed considerably making daily operations difficult. For the others they are forced to go outside to a nearby Bar and Restaurant to satiate their taste buds. Even visitors to the Secretariat are put to grave inconvenience. To top it all is the oversized structure making it difficult to move from one end to another. A peon complained that he walks almost 5 kms per day from one office to another in the discharge of his duties which is ridiculous. The doctors nurses and staff at Goa Medical College Hospital at Bambolim in the initial years in 1993 faced this dilema which was rectified to some extent later. >From the Goa Legislative Assembly Porvorim end GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO GOA 9822158584 [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com