Message: 7
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:25:57 +0530
From: "Dr.Nandkumar Kamat" <[email protected]>
To: goanet <[email protected]>
Subject: [Goanet] The ridiculous and wholesale cheating by Task force
on RP-2021-What happened on Sunday October 7, 2007 at CM?s residence?
Message-ID:
<[email protected]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
REPORT:
A presentation which was never given officially-and never before a MS ,
task
force who joined in his jogging shorts at CM?s residence - an informal
briefing meeting ?The ridiculous and wholesale cheating by Task force on
RP-2021-What happened on Sunday October 7, 2007 at CM?s residence?
Politicians have their own ways, Media its? own, NGOs have their own ways,
the religious bodies have their own ways and the Government has strange
ways
to engage people?theiir best policy is hide information and keep one
guessing, use when convenient and throw in dustbin?this is a truthful
account of how an informal meeting and information given in good faith has
been conveniently converted as ?my presentation before the Task force
RP-2021?. A RP-2021 prepared with falsehood is doomed to fail.
For sake of posterity and keep the records straight I am constrained to
bring out all the facts, there is absolutely nothing to hide...this is
just
a Zalak!
I submit (let the MS, task force produce the copy of invitation sent to me
or any other records and also explain who invited me and how for the so
called meeting with CM on Oct 7, 2007) and stand by the statement that I
HAVE NEVER GIVEN A PRESENTATION BEFORE THE TASK FORCE ON RP-2021.
In fact I did never receive any cooperation to create awareness on the
folly
of going for a RP-2021. Check the mail pasted below. It is dated 25
august
2007 much before Task force on RP-2021 came into existence (on 5/10/2007).
It reads
urgent-for uploading on GRN, Goanaet etc.-The Model town and country
planning act, 1998
Reply
|
Dr.Nandkumar Kamat to fredericknoron.
show details 8/25/07
fromDr.Nandkumar Kamat <[email protected]>[email protected]
dateSat, Aug 25, 2007 at 7:10 PMsubjecturgent-for uploading on GRN,
Goanaet
etc.-The Model town and country planning act, 1998mailed-bygmail.com
hide details 8/25/07
I am sending the pdf file of page scans of Govt. of India's model town and
country planning act (draft) 1998 (prepared to enforce 73 rd and 74 th
amendments) which was sent to town and country planning dept. , Govt. of
Goa, in 1998 for repealing the old TCP act, 1974. The Goa government
organized a one day technical convention at Yatri Niwas in October 1998
where this act was circulated. Then the politicians developed cold feet
because they felt that nothing would be left for them if the old TCP act
is
repealed and this one after deliberations etc. is passed.
I had actively participated in this technical convention. Actually right
from December 2006, GBA should have insisted on passing this act with
suitable, people, eco and Goa friendly amendments.
The GBA activists were sent a copy of this act in January 2007 through
Adv.
Satish Sonak of GPF.
Basically, this act need to form the basis of any discussion even before
you
start talking of a new regional/perspective plan.But for reasons best
known
to it, GBA does not want to discuss about this precious document.
Although the quality of some scanned pages is poor I request you to upload
it at GRN, Goanet and as many sites as possible so that people who are
going
in wrong direction understand the importance of this model legislation and
how it can empower local self government bodies.Politicians however, would
be very happy to amend the old Goa TCP act, 1974 and not to commit
themselves to repeal it and pass the new one ( a modified draft from 1998
model act).
I am also sending by next mail the note which I had prepared for the
committee set up by CSJP In october 2005, a full 14 months before GBA
formation. I stand by all the points in that note and reiterate that:-
1. Repeal old TCP act, 1974 and begin public debate and hearings on the
above model draft act, 1998
2. Order CTP, Goa to submit progress/failure report on regional plan
1987-2001 (old regional plan)
3.order Performance auditing of Goa state land use board and Goa state
land
resources management committee whose non action/inaction was responsible
for
RP-2011 mess and reconstitute both these bodies
4. Scrap all PDAs permanently
5. Scrap all ODPS (these are useless without CDPs)
6. Transfer interim powers ( till new mecahnism under new TCP act becomes
active) for land use planning to local authorities consistent with 73 rd
and
74 th amendments, to control these powers the gramsabhas to set up
special
committees
7. Implement recommendations of V.A. Pai Panandikar committee report on
State finance commission
8.Consistent with unanimous resolution of Goa assembly of Jan. 18,
2002-appoint a task force for sustainable urbanization. Open the file
which
had recommended eminent town planner and architect Mr. Edgar Ribeiro to
head the task force.
9. The new 10 year perspective plan is to be prepared only after old TCP
act
is repealed and new TCP act is passed.
10. Draft an act taking into consideration public opinion to debar the
sale
of land in Goa to outsiders on lines of Himachal pradesh and Uttarakhand
The above may be quoted or referenced as 'Dr. Nandkumar Kamat's 10 point
programme to clear the mess created by RP-2011"
I stand by my article in Tarun Bharat, Goa edition October 11, 2007,
commenting on the uncharitable remarks made by Arch Charles correia- which
followed an interesting and informal interaction on Sunday October 7, 2007
at
about 10 am with personalities who I came to know later from the press
were
members of the task force.
?Where is the notification?. can I see the terms of references?? I had
asked
in the meeting which had no session of introducing anyone and it was
difficult to see what was going on.
I submit that I had no knowledge of the TCP notification issued on Oct 4,
2007 and the presence of Mr. Charles Corriea and Mr. Edgar Ribeiro in Goa
on
Oct. 6 th and 7 th.
On Sunday 6 th, Oct. 2007 night , I received a phone call from D D Naik,
Margao that the Chief Minister had called a meeting at his residence to
discuss some urgent issues. No other names were mentioned. He said that
his
driver would pick me and drop me back to the university after the meeting.
I
stepped out of the house without reading the morning newspapers. That was
a
serious mistake on my part which I regret today. Because I did not know
that an informal discussion would be construed as ?official presentation?.
That?s how I went for a meeting with the Hon.CM, Goa and found in the
committee room Mr. Charles Correia (in front of whom I had deposed way
back
in 80s when he had visited Goa as Chairman on National Commission on
urbanization) , Arch Edgar Ribeiro (whose name I had suggested to the then
urban development minister Mr. Digambar Kamat to lead a task force on
sustainable urbanization) , former CTP Deshpande, Yatin Kakodkar,
Puttaraju,
Ms. Pinto, Dean D?cruz. Mr. Yaduvanshi joined in jogging shorts.
I came to know that CM was not going to attend the meeting. Actually I
should have left immediately. That was another mistake. The personalities
present wished to know ecological and environmental aspects, land use etc.
in Goa. So I spent more than an hour in the committee room.
Under no circumstances an informal discussion to which rest of those
present
were part can be considered as ?presentation? before the task force. I
know
the government committee procedures very well having myself conducted
public
hearings as one man commission on Miramar beach management plan during
Dec.
2001 ?Jan. 2002. I wasn?t even aware till late afternoon that govt. had
constituted the task force. It was not correct on the part of those who
attended to hide this information. I spoke in good faith because it is
always a pleasure when eminent architects like Mr. Ribeiro solicit
information. But it is ridiculous to call an informal meeting as my
?presentation?. I never received any minutes or transcript for correction.
And If I were to appear officially my position would not have been
different
than what I have consistently stated-these articles were immediately
mailed
to TCPD on the email ID which they had given.
The picture became clear by afternoon when I reached home and glanced at
the
newspapers. This is what I had written in my e-mail sent within a few
hours
of meeting to Mr. Soter Desouza convenor, CPR, as we were working on
democratic decentralization movement. In response to Mr. Soter?s request
to
review the press note the following email was sent
REPORT:
from
Dr.Nandkumar Kamat <[email protected]>
to
soter <[email protected]>
date
Sun, Oct 7, 2007 at 4:56 PM
subject
Re: Draft of Press note
mailed-by
gmail.com
hide details 10/7/07
It is ok. My name is misspelt. It should be Nandkumar. Anyway don't stress
right now on padyatra as a lot of logistics is involved. what happened to
the memorandum to be submitted to the CM?. And decision to devolve
planning
powers to panchayats?. another interesting development is the constitution
of a task force for new regional plan by the government on recommendations
of GBA. Today I was invited to meet them> I am skeptical about architects,
builders town planners deciding Goa's destiny. at CM's residence, they are
meeting. I think the task force has Charles Correia as chairman, Edgar
Ribeiro as consultant, Patricia, dean D'cruz, former CTP Deshpande, GHA
chairman Yatin Kakodkar, Buider D D Naik, Puttaraju, Yaduvanshi as
members.If you're still with GBA check up with Patricia and get a copy of
the order appointing them. Study the terms of reference. Apparently they
are
working on model village plans. At least two meetings took place on
saturday
and sunday. Dean Dcruz seems to have his say finally and that explains
Heta
Pandit's game and Ritu Prasad's interest.
Obviously the government would use these people and they are willing to
get
used by sacrificing the devolution spirit.
Please take a position on this task force. ?
Since I did not get any response reg. copy of the notification and terms
of
reference, how is it that a general discussion is construed as
?presentation?/?. Did I volunteer to make a minuted/transcripted
presentation?. If that were to be the case I could have easily requested
the
chairman himself. Someone took notes and included them as the putative
presentation absolutely without my consent. I came to know about this
trick
only after glancing at the annexure to RP-2021. It made me sick. Because I
felt cheated and used by the system. After Oct 7, 2007 there was zero
communication from task force on RP issue.
It is the task force, its? chairman the CM of Goa, the person who did not
properly brief me Mr. DD Naik-who actually owe an apology to me for
conveniently converting an informal discussion ?suo moto? to make it
appear
as a presentation. I am prepared to face any inquiry to prove the
malafide
intentions of the government in this regard. The emails subsequently sent
by
me to CM?s office provide the proof of my stand even before Task force
began
its? work. Besides I would like to know from all those who collaborated
with
task force and made presentations whether they did it in front of a member
secretary appearing in his informal dress, jogging shorts?. Of course I
have
no personal objections reg. dress code. But the MS, Mr. Yaduvanshi very
well
knew that it was an informal 'closed door ' meeting and If I were to
make
a presentation I would have requested an open door policy.
I maintain-RP-2021 has to be scrapped more so because it is based on
falsehood, as I had stated above from my own bitter experience. I wish I
could provide translation of my Marathi article from Tarun Bharat, Oct.
11,
2007 ( or thereabout as I don?t have the cutting of my article while
typing
this matter) to expose the real intentions of task force. The mandate and
terms of reference of TF on RP-2021 had nothing to do with SEZ. But the
task
force was conveniently used to produce a report in record time with
approaching assembly elections in mind to provide a face saving device to
the govt with direct blessings from highcommand. Why then the govt. did
not
engage the TF to produce similar reports banning megaprojects and illegal
mining ( both deal with land use) by overstretching TF?s mandate?. These
questions are now useless because the (now Ex) convenor of GBA Dr. Oscar
Rebello himself had frankly admitted that he had not read the
controversial
RP-2011. Apparently he had professional advisors to ?brief? him from time
to
time. But who really cares for a studious approach in Goa?
Truth would prevail and future events would completely expose the forces
in
Goa?s parallel economy who need a notified instrument like RP-2021 for
their
final conquest of Goa?s natural, political, social and economic space.One
can not demand both simultaneously-RP-2021 notification and
decentralization.
Goa which showcases millennia old self help institutions like Gaunkaris
(communidades) which were experts in massive geoengineering and
topoengineering (check the Khazans) need no lessons to teach people in 380
villages how to go about microlevel planning, spatial planning, land use
planning, resource management. But there is perfect unanimity to deny
powers
to the people at grassroots. Government would give grants to the same
people
who have been denied copies of panchayat act, 1995 in their own language
to
get training in cartography, geomatics, remote sensing, GIS, CAD, CAM
consistent with RP-2021 and that would hopefully generate more employment
opportunities and remove all corruption.
RP-2021 is an engineer, architect, builder, developer friendly slick,
polished, unprecedented, technophilic, technocentric spatial planning
model
imposed by the politically vocal and dominant ruling elite of Goa to
systematically disempower the people. Government knows and ruling elite
knows that apolitical and non political protests are sterile and public
memory is short. Political parties differ only in minor details in their
approach to RP-2021 under preparation-but all are unanimous-let
centralization of power prevail!.
--
Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA
------------------------------
* * *
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[http://goafest.itpsworld.net] Goa launch next month. See
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* * *
End of Goanet Digest, Vol 5, Issue 768
**************************************
