http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/Matanhy-demands-law-banning-sale-of-land/48025.html Matanhy demands law banning sale of land
HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 7: Convenor of Goa’s Movement for Special Status Matanhy Saldanha has demanded that the State Government immediately enact legislation to ban sale of agricultural land to non agriculturists, as part of the demand for Special Status for Goa under Article 371. Saldanha stated that “we are losing land, water and all our resources and the only way to prevent destruction of Goa is to secure Special Status.” He demanded the implementation of laws such as Common Civil Code, laws pertaining to Communidades for safeguarding Goa’s interests, protection of land of SCs, STs and OBCs. Special status under Art 371 is needed to protect the identity and culture of Goa. Another of our demand is that any central legislation will have to be reviewed by the State Government since BPL and other central government schemes do not apply to Goa due to the standard of living and income levels. He informed that MPs Shantaram Naik and Sripad Naik had already tabled Private Members Bills in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha respectively. A private members bill had been jointly tabled by Curtorim MLA AleixoReginaldo Lourenco and Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza in the Goa Assembly. Matanhy Saldanha stated that no Goan Representative was part of the proceedings of the Constituent Assembly which drafted the Indian Constitution and hence special provisions were not made therein to accommodate the circumstances and needs specific to Goa. As part of the awareness campaign among the people of Goa the first village level committee of Goa’s Movement for Special Status was launched at St Cruz village with Reggie Gomes as the Convenor and former MLA Victor Gonsalves as an active member who will be one of the main speakers at the ward level meetings. The village committee will conduct meetings at all 11 wards of St Cruz panchayat to bring awareness not only on preservation of our cultural and social identity but also to safeguard our economic interests, Gomes stated. Taxes and duties and foreign currency which are collected by the State and sent to the Centre especially from Tourism and Mining should be shared equally with Goa. We are also creating awareness on protection of our environment. -- Please post your comments on my Blog: http://goanidentity.blogspot.com/ Please also see below: 1. Benaulim Village Action Committee: http://www.bvacbenaulim.blogspot.com/ 2. "Rape of Goa" : http://www.parrikar.com/blog/the-rape-of-goa/ 3. MAND - an adivasi-rights resource centre : http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/ 4. EVERY GOAN SHOULD SEE THIS VIDEO: http://infochangeindia.org/Infochange-documentary.html 5. Goa's Identity Movement group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com//#/group.php?gid=193497031686 6. Official Government Site NRI Office (GOA): http://www.globalgoans.org.in/
