A surprisingly high turnout of over 1237 men women and children gathered at the
St Alex Church square Calangute this Sunday evening at 5.00 p,m to the
call of the Calangute Front for Responsible Tourism (CFRT) whose convenor
Anthony D Souza of Clangute painstakingly organized.
Geraldine Fernandes Chairperson of the Benaulim Citizens Action Committee
appealed to the people of Goa to unite under one banner to save Goa . She
stated that the Ganv Ghor Rakhan Manch was a forum to cover all villages in Go
and that the collective efforts would stop the rampant destruction going on.
Ms Adolphine Thamm an activist from Sinquerim highlighted the issue at
Sinquerim plateu way back in 200 when the Taj Group of hotels intended to open
up a three and a half lac recreation park with cine houses swimming pools
and hundred houses . This was opposed tooth and nail until the Management
took the Directorate of Panchayat to Court and pursued the matter for six long
years.. With the help of the Parish priest of Sinquerim Fr David Filinto
the issues of sewage waste etc they pursued the matter with the
authorities. It was an unfortunate experience for all Sinquerim residents
that the historic fort would be declared out of bounds and eventually visitors
would have to take passes to visit the Fort. How can the state permit
such things when there is no sufficient power water supply and garbage strewn
drown the hills or even sewage at their door step
Pravin Sabnis GBA sang a beautiful primer – “My Goa lies over the mountains ,
My Goa lies around the rivers Bring back oh bring back my Goa to me to
me” He complimented the people ofr Chandor Mr Lincoln Fernandes and others who
had brought out the Chandor Village Deelopment Plan and is now a basis for all
other to follow. Recently Ms Vinita Coelho took time out and did the
Moira Village Development Plan. He reminded the people that while
Government does development to satiate its greed the people should make out one
for their needs To achieve this he said the Goans should have to put in
p,ace a moratorium of no fights with one another, visit the villages themselves
and make an inventory of the things around the village and then have a
development plan. Mr Sabnis was shocked that a Minister for Panchayati
Raj was taking an unconstitutional stand declaring that he would permit mega
projects if Panchayats through the Gram
Sabhas opposed them . This runs contrary to oath sworn by him to protect the
Constitution. As the 73rd Constitutional amendment had in 1992 given full
powers to village development plans and the gram sabhas. He warned
the Police officials at Orlim that the people of Goa would take the law
in their own hand if they continued to harass the peaceful agitators.
(Referring to a large number of people from Orlim who had attended this meet.)
Ben Evangelist tiatrist from Benaulim wittingly spoke about his own social
background that he came from the family of “Kharvis” and that during his youth
fhe would see the Rampons along the beach now where stand the starred
hotels declared out of bounds for locals . The traditional fishermen went to
trawl at 5 fanthoms into the sea and now the motor boats have replaced the
purseiners along the beach. His quoted late Chirs Perry from Margao who
had a love for Goa’s tourism cradle Calangute and said he would roll in the
grave to see Calngute destroyed and warned Goans to wake up and safeguard our
lands. He blamed the Bhatcars of Goa (some of whom were on the crowd for
selling the land to non goans and now partaking in such movements.
Mr Shyam Subder Naik from Advalpale in Bicholim narrated how his village
which was named as a jungle area was being destroyed . Mining had stopped
in 2000 but the slag flowed from the pits from the mined earth (remember
fore every 1 part of ore there are three
Parts of rejects. Now with the China demand for low grade ore There
are several leases being opened and the field have been destroyed.
Ramesh Gauns from Bicholim activist (Mining areas ) reminded people that the
Government was like the blind men who were feeling the elephant. They do
not know what they are doing . He said the people of Calangute are affected by
Assonora for it is from her that their water needs are met He said that
there are nearly seven water networks of which five are in the area of mining
belt which is spread along 95 kms . There are 42 tributaries and
four rivers and these will be saturated with over 610 leases oif mining
being permitted. There are nearly 40, 000 traditional fishermen etc
who would be affected with the saturation of water . There will be
no tourism. (Incidentally the Carambolim lake has suddenly dried up
baffling all )
Soter D Souza an activist on Panchayati Raj urged the people to demand a social
audit on development during the last 20 years and the benefit to Goans .
He asked the people to urge the government to carry out rural based
housing industries etc iostead of mega projects
Anthony Veronica Fernandes from Candolim recalled that he as an
activist had always kept the interest of Goans in mind. Though
thirty years in Kuwait he had always held the Goans interest at heart
. He likened the Goan issue to Palestines who were fighting for their
homeland. He said Candolim in the early 1970’ started to be the
hippies bastion. He had protested their presence because of drughs .
Today they have come in a high profile life styles. He pledged full
support for the agitation.
Fr Maverick Fernandes, Council for Social Justice and Action reminded the
large gathering that article 21 of the Constitution not only safeguarded
the right to life but also to decent living. Are we being permitted
decent living ? he questioned.. He said that there was no need for the
government to take action against the will of the people . He said
the 73rd amendment had already allowed gram sabhas to decide what is best for
the village. Hence if every Goan is concerned with the future of Goa and
they love their children then they should spare some time to put in place
village development plans. The issue of Free Port the issue of Regional
Plan SEZ and several other movements Nylon 6 6 Meta strips Konkan Railway
and now the casinos were all agitations which were led as the
Government actions were against the will of the people..
Rajan Korgaonkar from Baga was surprised to see how the development had changed
. He stated that there was an occasion when there was a person from south
who visited north Goa and was shocked that narrow by lanes drains lakes
were destroyed . He could even not identify prominent landmarks. A
number of foreigners who came to Goa in the early seventies were surprised at
the changes and said this does not auger well for the Goans. We need to
spare time for the future of Goa .
The following resolution were read by Anthony D Souza Convenor and passed
with a few additions
Freeze the sale of land and the approval of new projets until the
necessary village development plans have been prepared with the active
involvement of the villagers
Information of all ongoing mega project including all correspondence should be
made available to the Gram Sabha
All objections by the Gram Sabha should result in public inspection and
immediate action
All new building projects should have mandatory provisions for rain water
harvesting garbage management etc
The basic needs of water electricity and the other basic needs of the village
must be addressed on a urgent and priority basis
Traditional houses repaired / reconstructed in CRZ should be regularized
Total ban on massage parlours. No combined ladies and gents parlours
Ban on noise pollution should be strictly observed and necessary action to be
imposed on the violators
We oppose all forms of irresponsible tourism based on sex and drugs
The additions
Stop all gambling casinos and rampant mining activities in the Statte.
The other highlights of the meet
a) the prayer song and dance was invoked by
small children
b) there was skit showing how parents lured
by the tourism activity neglected their children who were eventually weaned
away to night clubs massage parlours drigs and prostitution. The act of
the participants earned the cheers of the audience
c) Mr Herman Abreu of Raia who now
lives in Sinquerim sang a beautiful composition of Bob Marlee --- urging Goans
toi stand up and act . The audience stood on its feet and then clapped
and sang in unison at the beat.
d) Some of the posters on the walls were
Responsible tourism no noise pollution no mobile towers in residential ares
Clean tourism no garbage , no
mega projects
e) Rape of Goa was presented by Rajan
Parikar describeing the destruction along the coastline from Polem to Patradevi.
It may be recalled that the tourism industry began with the arrival of
the hippies in Candolim/ Calangute and now it seems it has turned full
circle. There are more non Goans at every corner and to those who
remember the nights of the Simla beat contests during the summer seasons they
will need to do something to revive this. The ground swell is visible and
the moment to strike is well nigh . This seems to be the underlining
message meanwhile the elected representatives need to stand fore warned that
they are being selected for ostracization in their villages if they act against
the will of the people.
The landowners are also warned that they would have to be cautious in their
land dealings . Their insatiable greed for crores instead of lacs has been the
cause of the sucess of the megsa projects and nongoan arrivals.
>From the Calangute Church end
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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