George,
Pardon me but what you have to say is pure music to my ears.
No, do not for a moment think that I am being sacarstic. I mean it, in that
I had, some time back, put forth a proposal that the NRIGs should float a
TRUST where Goan heritage and other old/disused/needing repairs houses and
properties should be purchased thro' this trust and put them back on salel
to Goans or lease them out to recover the costs. That way what is happening
today to Goa would not happen.
Similarly, we had floated the idea of setting up something like what you are
talking here so that this office could delegate cases of land-grab, illegal
transfer of houses and properties, fight cases in courts for people who are
not around etc. delegated to friendly lawyers of repute in different
talukas.
Well, I am happy that someone is conducive to that idea and it is never too
late.
Interestingly, when Rene Baretto wanted to hand-over the NRIGs in the hands
of the RSS through Nitin Kukolienkar, I had objected vociferously because I
wanted the NRIGs to be channelled in the proper way so that they as well as
Goans at large and GOA benefits from the venture.
b/rgds
floriano
goasuraj
----- Original Message -----
From: "George Pinto" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Goanet" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 7:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Saving Goa from land abuses
Dear Miguel
One cannot fight cancer with a CROCIN tablet. Going back to the original
land scam in Goa (the
mining industry), no one has been held accountable or penalized or gone to
jail. No amount of
well-intentioned protests by people of good-will is going to stop the land
mafia. The most
effective solution is to review current transactions but also those going
back, say 5 years. Those
found in violation should be penalized and sent to jail, AND the
project/development torn down and
bull-dozed. Now that will get the land mafia's attention.
Protests come and go and the land mafia waits it out, attrition wins. I am
willing as I have
written before to raise money (say 5-10 lakhs as a start) to open an
office called GOA OFFICE OF
LAND ACCOUNTABILITY (GOOLA). This office can hire a few lawyers and
activists to review
transactions, use the RTI act to obtain information, file PILs, educate
the public, assist gram
sabhas and panchayats review large transactions. It is the people's
office, a central clearing
hosue where various groups can come together. If we know something illegal
has happened and don't
do anything about it, are we not complicit? Do we really believe any large
land transaction has
not involved a bribe? Are we for law and order?
So my question is: are there a few lawyers and activists willing to staff
this office? They will
be paid and need to do the above full-time, not something as a volunteer
in their free-time.
Are Goans going to allow their land to be stolen or are they going to say
ENOUGH?
Regards,
George
--- Miguel Braganza <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Dear George,
Politics is "current affairs" not archaeology or paleontology. It has to
be dealt with
propectively or at best a few months in the past. There are laws to that
effect. e.g. the CRZ is
applicable after 1992 and the Gram Sabha in Goa is after 1994. We should
not get too ambitious or
we will end in a soup while trying to cook the goose or make a fillet of
the real estate sharks
;-)
Mog asundi.
Miguel
FROM: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
DATE: Fri, 2 May 2008 22:43:29 -0700 (PDT)
SUBJECT: Saving Goa from land abuses
I am surprized there has been no mention of Gram Sabhas going back in
time, say the last 5 years,
to review all licenses granted and the legality of various mega/large
contructions. Why shouldn't
ALL mega/large projects be reviewed? Some of the mega/large projects have
refused to sell to Goans
and only entertain foreigners and non-Goans as customers, treating our
people as second-class in
our own land. Why not investigate ownership patterns when Goans were
denied the right to buy?
