LAWMAKERS BREAK LAWS WITH IMPUNITY Stephen Dias, Dona Paula
Flagrant violations of laws made by the lawmakers themselves, who expect every one else to abide by the law have been taking place in Goa. A few of these stark violations are elucidated herein below: More than 54,000 adult trees are facing the axe in Mopa, wherein wanton felling of trees is being sought by the State of Goa, the decision for which is expected to be disallowed by the Supreme Court. When people of Goa have to run from pillar to post in order to cut just one tree, here is a case of the State of Goa lying to the Supreme Court that the adult trees are bushes only in order to mislead the court, The Supreme Court censured the State on this aspect. The Gadgil task force has clearly stated that the Western Ghats have to be protected. The Regional Plan which has not been finalized till now lies in the limbo, while violations such as conversion of paddy fields, cutting of forest trees and large scale construction on orchard land are the order of the day. Reliable sources have revealed that an high storied building reached almost 12 floors which is under construction and likely to go up at Miramar and no board is visible at the site. And another one of 15 floors near STP plant St.Inez is also under construction. Both recent constructions are within the jurisdiction of the Corporation of the City of Panaji. The Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) law is being amended to allow violation upto the 50 meters of the high tide line, when actually the coast of Goa should be protected by maintaining no construction zone as 200 meters of the high tide line. In Panaji at the steamer jetty, a very flagrant violation of the CRZ laws have been perpetrated by construction of a terminal building just near the CoP Panjim directly at the steamer jetty in the banks of the River Mandovi itself. This construction is totally a violattion of the CRZ laws and should not have been allowed under any circumstance. The matter has been taken up by the High Court of Bombay in Goa and it is solicited that the High Court strikes down this illegal construction. If the lawmakers are law breakers themselves, how is it that the lawmakers expect the people from not infringing laws which the lawmakers are themselves breaking with wanton impunity. Stephen Dias Dona Paula 9422443110 5.02.2020
