At a large gathering this morning Sunday, 6th July, 2008 at 1048 hrs at the
Colva Parish Hall on a nice sunny day when the rains refused to pour SEZ
activist Fr Maverick Fernandes appealed to the gathering be prepared to show
the right place to all those forty elected representatives who have earned the
wrath of the people for their anti Goan stance. He said that unless the people
remain united and gear up to undo the harm done by the approved SEZ's we will
not having anything left to reflect the Goan ethos and identity.
Another actvist from Benaulim active in downsizing the mega projects for
posterity wondered what was the need of elected representative speciall
castigating the elected representative of Benaulim Constituency Mr Francisco
(Micky) Pacheco, when the public had to come to oppose the various projects
which they were supposed to do so on the floor of the Assembly. He admitted
that Goans did not have a voice to express their feelings under the erstwhile
451 years of Portuguese rule, but one had a "sossegado" way of life. There was
no stress and strain life was peaceful there was quality of life and one
enjoyed each day. Today we have to be on our foot opposing every project.
Several resolutions were read our by Shri Pravin Sabnis of the Goa Bachao
Abhiyan on behalf of the SEZ Virodhi Manch --
a) disband Goa Industrial Development Corporation, and initiate time bound
enquiry through CBI;
b) suspend all officials involved in approving the plans, subsequent to
governments order to scrap all notified SEZ's and stop work orders being issued
to notified SEZ's;
c) re-ammend the Industrial Act by de-notifying the notified areas and bring
back the jurisdiction of the industrial areas under the authority of the
Village Panchayats;
d) Government to direct the Water Resources Department to cap all bore wells in
all industrial and mining areas
e) SEZ promoters should not be compensated by the Government. On the contrary
the promoters should be penalised for permanently damaging the ecology of the
villages and instead compensation should be paid to the respective affected
villages
f) suspend top police officers, who are still refusing to register the criminal
complaint filed by villagers on 22nd October, 2007 at Kerim (Ponda taluka )
g) scrapping of SEZ policy and issue of show cause notice to the delinquent
employees in view of the withdrawal of the case by the State Government
Others who spoke and were present Dr Francisco Colaco, cardiologist from
Margao, Shri Ramesh Gauns, of Bicholim, Panch of Kerim, Fr Eremito Fernandes,
Shri. Pravin Sabnis, Fr Henry and several activists from Margao, Keri,
Colamb, and Betul were also present to lend support to the deliberations at the
meet.
There were several posters on display prominent among those was "amcam naca SEZ
"amcam zai PEZ" ( not canji but People' s Economic Zone.
A poster which aroused anger and infuriated the public at the meet was a letter
written by the Raheja's to the then CM of Goa Shri Pratapsing Raoji Rane and
his recommendations to the MD Goa Industrial Development Corporation viz; "
please help these people" , another letter was addressed to the then
Minister of Industries Mr Luizinho Faleiro, who endorsed similar remarks to the
MD Goa Industrial Development Corporation viz; "to approve the SEZ in
principle". clearly indicating that the there was full support given to the
Rahejas by the then INC government.
sidelights of the meet
a) this meet was convened at Colva as the earlier attempt to hold the same at
Our Lady of Grace Church Hall on 29th June was cancelled owing to riots in
Margao
b) a few non goans present at the meet were apprehensive that there were bad
days ahead for them as the undertone of the meet spelt that there was something
concrete to emerge
c) some others after the meet were discussing of plans of an abrupt NH 17 or
NH 4A as done in Rajasthan by the Gujjars to have a final show down with the
"aam aadmi" Government by end July, 2008.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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