---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bevinda Collaco <[email protected]> Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2011 at 9:25 PM Subject: Re: A Golf Course, a Marina and a Fishing Village To: tony martin <[email protected]>
http://www.targetgoa.com/writersbloc On Fri, Dec 2, 2011 at 5:24 PM, tony martin <[email protected]> wrote: > A Golf Course, a Marina and a Fishing Village > > *Tony Martin* > > > > Fishing village Talpona, a secret hamlet in Canacona, is conveniently > being defaced even as eco-conservationists allege that it is being traded > by the greedy hearts at the Poinguinim Panchayat who are bent on gifting > Talpona lock stock and barrel to the land sharks, writes *Tony Martin.* > > > > Though the entire coastal stretch of Galgibaga to Talpona in Canacona, > covering an area of 1,65,698 sq mts under survey No 176 (1,05,796 sq mts) > and survey No 173/1 (50,902 sq mts) is classified as CRZ-I, lies in > Eco-Sensitive Zone – 1 (ESZ–1) on RP-21 and is earmarked as heritage > landscape in the revised Regional Plan – 21, there’s an* *orchestrated > effort for a total sell out of the fishing village. > > > > Ironic that it may seem, at the epicenter of the land area marked as > *heritage, > *work on a golf course proposed to be set up by Monark Private Limited, a > Delhi-based company has gained momentum. > > Says Kishore Painginkar a local environment activist, “Vested interests, > including the Paiginim panchayat, are supporting the project by misguiding > the gullible local youth promising everything, except a clear cut policy on > crucial matters like the environmental impact and other propositions.” > > “The panchayat did not feel the necessity to deliberate on this very > sensitive issue. Instead, without studying the issue, the panchayat asked > Monark to produce the Sanad for the property,” says Anil Keluskar a > resident of Talpona. > > As if this water-guzzling project was not enough, Delhi moneybags have > purchased 4.6 lakh sq metres of prime forest and a part of the coastal > stretch. Interestingly, some of the thick forest cover has conveniently > been demarcated as settlement areas in the Regional Plan 2021 to make way > for a starred resort. > > * *There’s more: In what is seen by many as groundwork for the smooth > takeover of the tiny fishing pocket, the erstwhile Minor Port has been > conveniently deleted in the revised final plan of RP 2021 released > recently, while it featured in the earlier draft of RP 2021 submitted to > the State Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department. > > Reportedly, the government is planning a Marina at Talpona proposed > to be constructed on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) module -- a > private business venture funded and operated through the partnership of the > government and one or more private sector companies. “This move clearly is > a conspiracy to clear the decks for the proposed Marina,” remarks Judas > Barreto, a local social activist. > > The Talpona Port was closed for navigational traffic in 1954 when the > Portuguese government closed all the borders with Goa. After liberation it > was used by local fishermen as a jetty for anchoring trawlers. "If the > proposed Marina with a capacity for about 70 yachts is realised where will > the fishermen go?" asks Abhijit Prabhudesai another activist originally > from Painguinim. > > “You cannot have a marina without hotels, real estate boom, golf course > and the rest of the nine yards” *he adds. * > > The gram sabha of the Poinguinim village panchayat held on July 24 > demanded the immediate cancellation of 'tourist spots' in the heritage zone > shown in Regional Plan (RP) 2021 along the Galgibaga-Talpona beach stretch. > > During the discussion on RP, locals pointed out that the gram samiti > suggestions to renovate the Portuguese-era jetty at Talpona was not > accepted or shown in the plan. > > Deepak Salgaonkar, a resident then tabled a resolution to approach > courts if the Town and Country Planning Department "does not de-notify the > discrepancy-filled RP". > > Meanwhile Poinguinkaracho Ekvott, (PE) a social front launched a few > months ago is leading a movement against the unchecked commercialization of > the area. Convenor of PE, Caitan Barreto maintains, “We will fight to save > the natural heritage and glory of Talpona.” > > > -- > Tony Martin Copy/Content Writing > http://www.facebook.com/tonymartingoaGalgibaga, Canacona > -- *TARGET GOA* www.targetgoa.com Tel: +91.9822380049 * * *T*o stop receiving updates from *TARGET GOA *hit Reply and write 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in the Subject line. -- Tony Martin Copy/Content Writing http://www.facebook.com/tonymartingoaGalgibaga, Canacona --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
