Goanet News about Aldeia de Goa is not at all a surprise (News appended here
below). I had predicted this much prior in local dailies while asking GBA
members to come out of RP 2011 Task Force (TF) and be a watch dog on TF
instead.
Apolitical GBA is a creation of the people, by the people and for the people
to safeguard the rampant construction activity that were licensed under the
draconian RP 2011. As far as this is concerned GBA appears to be on the
track still.
While TF is a creation of Digamber Kamat Government in which Dr. Oscar the
convener of GBA is included as member. After this appointment, Dr. Oscar
rightly informed Goa government that he should be supported in the TF by his
other two colleagues from GBA. Whether this is officially accepted or not is
another question. As per notification in official gazette this TF was
required to release the first document on RP2021 by mid December 2007 and
that too without any terms of reference given by government to the TF till
date! This is surprising!!
In stead of releasing their first document on RP 2021 they preferred to
voice their feelings that Goa does not require any SEZ during SEZ
agitations. Good feeling any way! But this recommendation was in fact used
by the government as a face saver to announce scrapping of SEZs in Goa. I
wonder will this TF act only to offer face savers to Goa or they are serious
about releasing their first findings, their say, their feelings about old
and proposed new RP, and keep Goans informed on exactly what this TF are
doing and has done so far in connection with RP 2021.
Goans don't want to know any other thing other than what the TF is created
for. Aam Admi is surprisingly seen saying - Does this mean that without
terms of reference everything under the sun comes within the preview of TF!
OR are they suppose to look into specific area(s) for which they are
appointed!! This is not all; Goa government will take this so called
Apolitical GBA and GBA members of TF including the total TF on golden ride
while reformulating RP 20021 and also in connection with restarting SEZ
under different name & style!!! Keep watching!!!!
Before I conclude let me appeal to TF now to release their another say on
Aldeia de Goa as they did during SEZ agitation, for Aldeia de Goa project
comes very much within the preview of GBA as well as TF. Will they do it?
Best regards,
Dr. U. G. Barad
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:33:52 +0530
From: "Goanet News" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] Government accused of colluding with builders
To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!"
<[email protected]>
Government accused of colluding with builders
Special Correspondent
PANAJI: The Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA), which spearheaded an agitation last
year to get a controversial State regional plan scrapped, has accused the
Goa Government of tacitly condoning the illegality and collaborating with
the builders in the matter of a controversial real estate project and warned
it not to "provoke the people of Goa".
Convenor of GBA Oscar Rebello on Thursday expressed his anger over the
submission before the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court this week on behalf
of the State Government by the State's Advocate General "on instructions" in
a writ petition filed by the Goa Real Estate Company in connection with the
project, Aldeia de Goa. The Advocate General stated that the Government
would withdraw its earlier order to stop work and the Collector would issue
fresh orders after giving a hearing to the petitioners. The GBA pointed out
that the stop work order was issued after environmental groups threatened to
launch an agitation against the project for the alleged violation of
construction rules, a few months ago. "This has been done despite clear
knowledge that the hill has been cut in violation of the regulations of the
Planning and Development Authority governing constructions on hill slopes
and falsification of documents used in support by builders and despite the
promise to GBA by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Chief Secretary
J.P. Singh that the stop work order of the Collector would not be withdrawn
till the inquiry into the issue was completed," Mr. Rebello said.
"Decks have now been cleared for builders to re-start construction at the
Bambolim "hill station by the sea" that was interrupted by the people of
Goa," he said.
