NEW *Lionroars - 13*
July 8-14, 2013 *Saving the Last Frontier, Raia* Village Raia is virtually the last frontier in so much as preserving the Goa of old which a few of us are battling to preserve for posterity but which Goa’s land shark-politician mafia is bent on destroying and has done an excellent job of it thus far. This mutually supportive clique has now set its eyes on luxuriant Raia which is why I call it the Last Frontier because there are few villages untouched by the rampant residential constructions in south Goa, the north having almost completed its self-destruction. This lush village panchayat (VP) has seven hills and two springs, Curra springs and Barribatti (or Bharebhat) springs. But the plan that will eventually ruin Raia begins is the neighbouring taluka of Ponda (Raia falls in Salcette taluka) where a blueprint is being prepared to build an industrial estate and the man behind it is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and industries minister Mahadev Naik. In March this year, Naik informed the Legislative Assembly that the government planned to set up four new industrial estates and 1,80,000 sq m of land would be acquired the one proposed for Shiroda village. Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/lion-roars/lion-roars-2013/321-lionroars-13 *Runaway failures: a tale of failed airport projects -6* *July 8-14, 2013* *The Durgapur Aerotropolis * ………..But among the failures which appear to increase as we move along in this failed airport (nine in all) series (we mentioned one in Arunachal Pradesh last week which was not scheduled in the series), comes news now of yet another. The Rs 4,000 crore Alwar Aerotropolis, the flagship airport project of the $90 billion Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), is unlikely to take off as the civil aviation ministry has red-flagged its implications on passenger and cargo traffic at Delhi’s international airport only 100 kms away as the crow flies. This could make Alwar the second doomed airport plan near the national capital region (NCR), after the Greater Noida airport that was quietly buried last May after eleven years of planning. The project site was approved by the Rajasthan government and the only obstacle facing the Greenfield project now is its distance from the Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport – approximately 140 kms by road and 100 kms aerially. *Also crucial for the planners of the Mopa Greenfield is the fact that the civil aviation ministry has asked the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) to establish that the Alwar project won’t affect traffic at the Delhi airport. The ministry has cited its contractual obligations to the Delhi airport’s joint venture operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), for its reluctance because when the operation, management and development agreement and the state support agreement (SSA) was signed by the government with DIAL, it strictly specified a “safe distance”.* Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/lead/320-runaway-failures-a-tale-of-failed-airport-projects-6 *July 8 -14, 2013* *Margao market: There’s no free lunch* ……….But there are people who think it’s a good idea. Ten months ago when there was a petition on change.org on “Clean up SGPDA market, repair drains & parking facilities”, there were many who signed saying “feel at risk due to poor hygiene”, “want to see Margao clean and safe” “keep my city clean”. But vendors say with inflation in the price of fish, vegetable and meat, not to mention many other taxes, consumers don’t want to be taxed for parking too. But that again is vendors speaking for themselves and not on behalf of consumers. But the consensus among consumers is that as long as the market is clean and there is regulation in traffic, they don’t mind forking out the extra money. But the board apparently also bowed to criticism from some other residents and an NGO, United Goans Welfare Front. Its general secretary, Laurel Abranches said, “The parking proposal will unnecessarily overburden tax payers who are already overburdened with water and power bills, property taxes, business taxes etc.” But Claude says that after a meeting with Abranches, he too has been won over….. Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/letters/318-margao-market-there-s-no-free-lunch *July 1-7, 2013* *There’s never smoke without a fire* “There was no common minimum programme, there is no economic acitivity happening,” an MLA said attributing that as among the reasons that gave the potential topplers pause to do a rethink. Nobody wanted to inherit governance at a time when the closure of mines is affecting so many other economic areas in the state apart from the financial hit taken by those who worked in mining and allied industries. Also at a time when the common man is burdened with rising prices and taxes upon taxes, no MLA wanted to reap the rage and anxiety this is causing. In addition, the Congress has become synonymous with the perception that “they are here to eat” and the non-Congress masterminds were themselves wary of joining forces with such a discredited bunch of leaders that even south Goa, which has always been staunchly pro-Congress, punished them and sent most stalwarts home in the assembly elections last March. The fact that Digambar Kamat in Margao and Aleixo Reginald Lourenco in Curtorim were the only ones who could stave off the anti-Congress tide speaks volumes. July 8-14, 2013 *Team GS* *Long road ahead for Congress* Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/news-summary/319-there-s-never-smoke-without-a-fire However, it was obvious that Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, the front runner to replace Subhash Shirodkar as the GPCC president, has to sweat even the small stuff because of the pulls and pressures. Although, he seems to be the only one in the Congress who is taking on the Manohar Parrikar government, Vijay Sardesai says, “It’s obvious they are thinking ten times before appointing him” although he seems to have some qualifications that should help him cross the finish line. The Curtorim MLA – who was voted for the first time in 2007 after he defeated his mentor Franscisco Sardinha, on a Save Goa Front ticket – is young, relatively fresh, is dynamic and is not controversial. All Digvijay would commit was that by end-July a new GPCC president would be in place. Digvijay thus put paid to Shirodkar’s hopes that he would get another term. But he put to rest the speculation that Pratapsingh Rane would be replaced as the CLP leader. “That is not the issue now,” he said firmly. Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/news-summary/322-long-road-ahead-for-congress -- Lionel Messias Editor, *Goan Spirit*, *Goa's Spirited Online Weekly Magazine.* ** Website:www.goanspirit.com Worked for the best: Goa Today, Gomantak Times, Herald, Mid-Day, The Pioneer, Indian Express (Bangalore), Economic Times (Chennai, Hyderabad), Newstime (Hyderabad), Gulf News (Hyderabad) 125-E, Bellem, Velsao, P.O. Cansaulim, Goa 403712 Tel: 0832-2884484 Mob:9822152164
