GBA threatens stir if RP not notified in 15-days Published on: October 15, 2010 - 01:30
PANAJI: Goa Bachao Abhiyan on Thursday threatened to intensify its agitation if the state government failed to notify the Regional Plan 2021 within 15 days. GBA’s move to march to the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat’s bungalow at Altinho, Panaji was foiled by a strong posse of the police personnel near the Matriz Church, as they cordoned off the area. The GBA activists were marching to the Chief Minister’s bungalow amidst shouting of slogans — ‘Goa Ko Bachao, Challis Choronko Phek Do’, ‘Democracy Is Name, Loot Loot Is The Game’, and ‘Serkara Serkara, Tum Chol Ghara’. As their march was stopped, a delegation of nine activists walked to the CM’s bungalow escorted by the Sub Divisional Police Officer, Mr Deu Benaulikar and submitted a memorandum in absence of the Chief Minister to his OSD, Mr Vernekar outside the bungalow. The convenor of GBA, Dr Sabina Martins speaking at the rally, earlier, issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Kamat government to fulfill their various demands including the one for notifying the Regional Plan 2021 or else they would intensify the agitation. On Thursday evening, the GBA activists speaking the rally held at the Azad Maidan, charged the state government of damaging the Goa’s ecology and criticized it for failing to keep promises to act on various issues plaguing the state like illegal mining, hazardous industries in residential areas, destruction of traditional livelihoods of fishing and farming community, big housing projects in villages, displacement in the name of development, non-planned construction, denial of rights to tribal etc. They also stated that people waited for quite a long to see the action on part of the government. Stating that the government should notify VP3 status with 50 FAR to the villages that have opted for it in the draft RP 2021, the speakers also asked it to notify all eco-sensitive zones (ESZs), at least as shown in the draft RP 2021, like steep slopes, forested areas, paddy fields, mangroves, wetlands, lakes, and ponds, and “protect them from development.’’ Dr Martins urged the government ********************************************************************** CM failed people of Goa, says GBA HERALD REPORTER PANJIM OCT 14 Goa Bachao Abhiyan on Thursday ridiculed Chief Minister Digambar Kamat for avoiding them over the Regional Plan 2021, even as it submitted a memorandum to his Officer on Special Duty late evening at the official residence in Altinho, here. The CM remained out of public glare for the entire day and was even conspicuous by his absence at the International Travel Mart, here, at Campal, here. A senior police official was heard telling reporters outside the official residence Kamat had left for Delhi yesterday. Joint Secretary Miguel Braganza said they had taken an appointment for today seven days prior and it was the CM’s duty to meet the GBA delegation over their legitimate demand. Earlier, representatives from different villages took pot-shots at the CM and the authorities concerned over the delay in finalisation of RP. Most of them also spoke in strong terms about bringing a sweeping change in the Government at the next elections. “CM you are a liar and a coward. Where is the plan?” questioned Venita Coelho, a scriptwriter from the village of Moira. Goa Foundation’s Dr Claude Alvares urged the people not to let their guard down at this juncture and feel demoralised because victory was near. He spelt out the several victories people had to their credit because of agitations that made the Government take note. At one point of time during his speech he went on to call those in power as crooked b******. Dr Alvares maintained the government had already notified the draft RP 2021 and it had the same value as that of the new RP, which is yet to be finalised with a few changes. He ridiculed the disappearance of project files from panchayat offices and lambasted the CM too for doing a disappearing act like these today. GBA treasurer Annand Madgavkar, Francis Rodrigues from Tiracol, Anthony D’Silva from Ambelim (Salcete), Uday Malvankar from Tivim, Swati Kerkar from Keri (Ponda), Zarina D’Cunha of Nuvem, Dr Jaynath Dulapkar, Durgadas Gaonkar of GAKUVED, John Philp Pereira from Verna and Aravind Bhatikar were the others who expressed their angst against the Government in their short speeches. At around 6.15 pm after the meeting at the Azad Maidan wounded the people who had gathered began their march to the CM’s residence under the banner of GBA and led by its convenor Sabina Martins. However, they were stopped near the Panjim Church Square by a large posse of policemen who had barricaded the entire road leading to Cortim. What ensued as a result of the police barricading was an irritating traffic snarl that inconvenienced motorists eager to get to their homes during the peak hours. There were small instances of heated exchanges between the police and individuals over the last-minute and uninformed traffic diversion. The road remained blocked by the police for over half-an-hour till the delegation of the GBA consisting of 15 members had submitted the memorandum to the CM’s OSD at his official residence.
