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5th Annual Konkan Fruit Fest
Promenade, D B Bandodkar Road, Panaji, Goa
16-18, May 2008
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-May/073789.html
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Post-mortems of valued Editorials of 17 May, 2008
As a long grown habit, I go through the edit pages of the daily newspapers
that I subscribe for i.e the Gomantak Times, the Herald and the Navhind Times,
in that order. I was overly disturbed by what I read in the GT, "Goa not just
for Goans" by Pramod Khandeparkar. But when I finished the edit pages of the
other two newspapers and subsequently GT's "Gram Sabhas -Supreme Court of
village democracy" by Shanti Fonseca, I felt reassured that all was not lost
and that there still are people who have their heads squarely planted on their
shoulders.
Coming back to Mr. Pramod Khandeparkar and his piece ' Goa, not just for
Goans', my first impulsive reaction was to rip the page apart, as what I was
reading was nothing but depraved 'chamchagiri' of which there is no dearth in
Goa. With due respect to Mr. Pramod Khadeparkar's intelligence, this piece
comes out as if it was paid for by the builder's lobby. Khandeparkar must know
that the builder's file first goes to the concerned Panchayat or the
Municipality before being forwarded to the TCP and other authorities. Under
normal circumstances, the Panchayat body is expected to go through the file
with a fine tooth comb to check if the file contains all the requisite
documentation with special reference to the 'conversion sanad' which proves
that the property belongs to or is in the orderly care of the applicant for the
construction license. Most importantly, the Panchayat must inspect the site to
verify the terrain etc before forwarding the file to the other authorities fo
r their technical approval as the Panchayats do not have the technical
facilities. Since the concerned ward member is conversant with the property
concerned, the file sails through. Now, the Panchayat body is not expected to
refer this file to the Gram Sabha since it is a routine procedure concerning
small construction for a family residence etc. But if Mr. Khandeparkar thinks
that the Panchayat body can decide to send the file for onward approvals
without consulting the Gram Sabha, when it concerns a mega project running into
crores of rupees, then he positively does not know what he is talking about.
There are bound to be cutting of corners with mega projects and the Panchayat
approval can be bought for a handsome price. There are instances when
Sarpanchas have been gifted luxury cars and other inducements including cash.
Mr. Khandeparkar should check out Sarpanches of Candolim and Calangute areas
and see if they qualify for the ED (Enforcement Directorate) scrutiny. Onc
e the file is out from the Panchayat, the ball is easy to roll if the
concerned party (the builder) is loaded. And in most cases, the file is
doctored and sent back to the Panchayat to be issued the license to build. This
is where the Gram Sabha comes into picture. The files of each and every mega
projects must be revoked until they are thoroughly scrutinized. And I am
confident that one hundred per cent of the files of every mega project will be
not pass this scrutiny. Mr. Khandeparkar must remember that "Representative
Democracy ends the day the election results for public offices are declared"
Since the Gram Sabha cannot trust the Panchayat bodies not to succumb to mega
pressures by the promoters of mega projects, these must be unfolded first to
the Gram Sabha by way of 'public hearing' that the more knowledgeable people
among the villagers can see if the concerned mega project will be in the
interest of the close-knit village or not and convey its decision to the
Panchayat. Needless to say that being elected to the Panchayat does not make
those who are elected 'all knowing' and 'superior in their judgments' since in
most cases these elected members are lame ducks who sometimes do not even know
to read and write, much less decide for the village.
We wonder if writers like Mr. Khandeparkar would survive even a day if they
were to write likewise in States like Jharkahnd, Kashmir etc.
We appreciate the editorials of Herald as well as the Navhind Times and wish to
congratulate the respective editors for the balanced views portrayed which is
the need of the hour for Goa and Goans in these times of crisis where the
elected government cannot be trusted with the safety and the well-being of Goa
and Goans. We also congratulate Ms. Shanti Fonseca for the most crucial
informative exposure to the Gram Shabas and for upholding the rights and
duties of the concerned villages.
Finally, if Mr. Kahadeparkar thinks that pouring concrete is development, then
he must think again. Maybe he can be swayed by the show of the colour of money.
But Goans who do not want development that they cannot digest will not be
swayed but will stand firm to defeat each and every mega project in Goa which
is the brain child of corrupt minds within the elected representative
government of Goa and without. If Goa has to lose its very identity and its
character through these disastrously sprawling half baked mega residential
projects including the SEZs and polluting industries which are mainly the money
spinners for its promoters at the cost of Goa and Goans, sold to gullible
Goans as the in thing to make the nation the one economic power in the world,
then Goans must opt out of it and let the nation take its development
elsewhere. Neither do we take kindly to the free advices such as the one
proffered by Mr. Khandeparkar in his article above and must be appropriately
warned not to test the survival instinct of true blooded Goans.
Floriano Lobo
Hon. Gen. Secretrary, Goa Environmental Action Group &
Gen. Secretary, Goa Su-Raj Party
383 A, Pirazona,
Moira Bardez Goa.
(M) 9890470896
Res. (0832) 2470223
