Goan villages up in arms against the Government’s destruction of Goa After Benaulim, Chandor, Chicalim, Tivim tomorrow it’s Cansaulim November 9 th at 6:00pm.
As is evident from the village meetings, the heat is on the MLAs and the Government of Goa. Village after village has clearly given an ultimatum be it Tivim, Chicalim, Chandor. The next stop is Cansaulim where the Villagers will meet on November 9thTuesday at 6:00pm. It’s high time that the Government of Goa realises that it cannot go against the wishes of the people of Goa. They should read the writing on the wall and not take us for granted. These articles from the Times of India and Herald. ****************************************************************** Chandor locals want Joaquim's presence TNN, Nov 7, 2010, 04.06am IST PANAJI: Villagers from Cavorim-Chandor<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Cavorim-Chandor>and Guirdolim at a meeting held on Friday unanimously demanded that the local MLA and urban development minister Joaquim Alemao<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Joaquim%20Alemao>be called to the village to listen to their grievances where they would ask him to press the government for immediate notification of the Goa Regional Plan 2021. Sarpanchas of both the villages Derrick Braganza Pereira of Cavorim-Chandor and Jose Antao of Guirdolim agreed to arrange the meeting with the minister in the village where besides the Regional Plan, other developmental projects and problems faced by the villagers would be discussed. Local organization Ganv Bhavacho Ekvott facilitated the meeting which was held in the panchayat hall. Jose Antao stated that people had painstakingly worked on the plan. He stated that due to the non-finalisation of the plan, the panchayat is in a fix when people put in applications for constructions. The village has opted for VP2 status. Antao said that they will impress on the MLA to hasten the process and in the interim to notify the marked eco-zones as in the draft Regional Plan GBA member Agnelo Furtado<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Agnelo%20Furtado>in his address referred to the various dates given by the government to notify the RP 2021 only to keep shifting to another date. Sabina Martins urged the people to pressurize their MLA to prevail upon the government to notify the plan failing which she said the GBA would not hesitate to take to the streets. Meanwhile, at the meeting held at Flinstone, Chicalim, on November 4, Chicalim Village Action Committee has decided to call upon their MLA Mauvin Godinho to press for the notification of eco-sensitive zones. The meeting was addressed by representatives of Goa Bachao Abhiyan, Save our Slopes, Goa Heritage Association of Goa, Vasco Watch and CVAC. The anxiety to protect whatever is left of Vasco was palpable and the citizens vociferously supported the suggestion made by Francisco Menezes to start a post card campaign to the chief minister and Sonia Gandhi<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Sonia-Gandhi>to notify the eco-sensitive zones. Prajal Sakhardande of GHAG explained in detail the need to protect the caves in Chicalim and demanded their notification as heritage sites. He stated that just like the RP2021, the government is delaying the notification. Read more: Chandor locals want Joaquim's presence - The Times of India<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Chandor-locals-want-Joaquims-presence/articleshow/6881469.cms#ixzz14eSFQ0at> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Chandor-locals-want-Joaquims-presence/articleshow/6881469.cms#ixzz14eSFQ0at GBA, Chandor villagers press for notification of RP-2021 HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, NOV 5 Responding to the cries of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, the villagers of Chandor and Guirdolim on Friday have unanimously decided to call local MLA and Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao to the village where they would ask him to press the government to immediately notify the Regional Plan 2021 Chandor Sarpanch Derrick Braganza Pereira and his Guirdolim counterpart Jose Antao agreed to the demand of the villagers to arrange a meeting with the MLA at the earliest not only to discuss the RP 2021, but other developmental issues facing the two villages. This was decided after GBA Convenor Sabina Martins appealed to the people of the two villagers to pressurize their MLA to take up with the government the demand for immediate notification of the RP plan. Martins warned that the people of Goa will take to the streets once again if the government fails to pay heed to their demand. She reminded the government that the people of Goa had three years ago participated in a huge meeting on 18 December on the Regional Plan, adding that the people will not hesitate to do the same notwithstanding that the state is celebrating the golden jubilee year of Goa’s Liberation from the Portuguese regime. The GBA convenor pointed out that land prices have skyrocketed in Goa due to the trend of the rich in the country to set up a holiday home in the state. She was highly critical of the government, saying the government appears not inclined to notify the RP 2021 because of vested interests. “The time has come to tell our MLAs to put pressure on the government to notify the Regional Plan and freeze development in eco sensitive zones”, she told the villagers. A villager from Chandor, Luel Fernandes stressed on the need to retain the village identity and character, saying that Goans would be reduced to a minority if the villagers are converted into urban area. He also touched upon the extraction of black metal from the hills bordering Chandor with Sao Jose de Areal, resulting in the degradation of the village. In his address, GBA member Agnelo Furtado lamented that the government has failed miserably to honour the dates to notify the RP 2021. Asserting that the Constitution has been amended to empower the people, Furtado charged the government for paying lip service to the grassroot institutions. Chandor Sarpanch Derrick Braganza Pereira recalled how the Panchayat had organized ward-wise meetings to get the villagers participate in the RP process, but regretted that the government has not notified the RP 2021 till date. After Benaulim, Chandor, Chicalim, Tivim tomorrow it’s Cansaulim November 9 th at 6:00pm As is evident from the village meetings, the heat is on the MLAs and the Government of Goa. Village after village has clearly given an ultimatum be it Tivim, Chicalim, Chandor. The next stop is Cansaulim where the Villagers will meet on November 9thTuesday at 6:00pm. It’s high time that the Government of Goa realises that it cannot go against the wishes of the people of Goa. They should read the writing on the wall and not take us for granted. These articles from the Times of India and Herald. ****************************************************************** Chandor locals want Joaquim's presence TNN, Nov 7, 2010, 04.06am IST PANAJI: Villagers from Cavorim-Chandor<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Cavorim-Chandor>and Guirdolim at a meeting held on Friday unanimously demanded that the local MLA and urban development minister Joaquim Alemao<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Joaquim%20Alemao>be called to the village to listen to their grievances where they would ask him to press the government for immediate notification of the Goa Regional Plan 2021. Sarpanchas of both the villages Derrick Braganza Pereira of Cavorim-Chandor and Jose Antao of Guirdolim agreed to arrange the meeting with the minister in the village where besides the Regional Plan, other developmental projects and problems faced by the villagers would be discussed. Local organization Ganv Bhavacho Ekvott facilitated the meeting which was held in the panchayat hall. Jose Antao stated that people had painstakingly worked on the plan. He stated that due to the non-finalisation of the plan, the panchayat is in a fix when people put in applications for constructions. The village has opted for VP2 status. Antao said that they will impress on the MLA to hasten the process and in the interim to notify the marked eco-zones as in the draft Regional Plan GBA member Agnelo Furtado<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Agnelo%20Furtado>in his address referred to the various dates given by the government to notify the RP 2021 only to keep shifting to another date. Sabina Martins urged the people to pressurize their MLA to prevail upon the government to notify the plan failing which she said the GBA would not hesitate to take to the streets. Meanwhile, at the meeting held at Flinstone, Chicalim, on November 4, Chicalim Village Action Committee has decided to call upon their MLA Mauvin Godinho to press for the notification of eco-sensitive zones. The meeting was addressed by representatives of Goa Bachao Abhiyan, Save our Slopes, Goa Heritage Association of Goa, Vasco Watch and CVAC. The anxiety to protect whatever is left of Vasco was palpable and the citizens vociferously supported the suggestion made by Francisco Menezes to start a post card campaign to the chief minister and Sonia Gandhi<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Sonia-Gandhi>to notify the eco-sensitive zones. Prajal Sakhardande of GHAG explained in detail the need to protect the caves in Chicalim and demanded their notification as heritage sites. He stated that just like the RP2021, the government is delaying the notification. Read more: Chandor locals want Joaquim's presence - The Times of India<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Chandor-locals-want-Joaquims-presence/articleshow/6881469.cms#ixzz14eSFQ0at> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Chandor-locals-want-Joaquims-presence/articleshow/6881469.cms#ixzz14eSFQ0at GBA, Chandor villagers press for notification of RP-2021 HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, NOV 5 Responding to the cries of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, the villagers of Chandor and Guirdolim on Friday have unanimously decided to call local MLA and Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao to the village where they would ask him to press the government to immediately notify the Regional Plan 2021 Chandor Sarpanch Derrick Braganza Pereira and his Guirdolim counterpart Jose Antao agreed to the demand of the villagers to arrange a meeting with the MLA at the earliest not only to discuss the RP 2021, but other developmental issues facing the two villages. This was decided after GBA Convenor Sabina Martins appealed to the people of the two villagers to pressurize their MLA to take up with the government the demand for immediate notification of the RP plan. Martins warned that the people of Goa will take to the streets once again if the government fails to pay heed to their demand. She reminded the government that the people of Goa had three years ago participated in a huge meeting on 18 December on the Regional Plan, adding that the people will not hesitate to do the same notwithstanding that the state is celebrating the golden jubilee year of Goa’s Liberation from the Portuguese regime. The GBA convenor pointed out that land prices have skyrocketed in Goa due to the trend of the rich in the country to set up a holiday home in the state. She was highly critical of the government, saying the government appears not inclined to notify the RP 2021 because of vested interests. “The time has come to tell our MLAs to put pressure on the government to notify the Regional Plan and freeze development in eco sensitive zones”, she told the villagers. A villager from Chandor, Luel Fernandes stressed on the need to retain the village identity and character, saying that Goans would be reduced to a minority if the villagers are converted into urban area. He also touched upon the extraction of black metal from the hills bordering Chandor with Sao Jose de Areal, resulting in the degradation of the village. In his address, GBA member Agnelo Furtado lamented that the government has failed miserably to honour the dates to notify the RP 2021. Asserting that the Constitution has been amended to empower the people, Furtado charged the government for paying lip service to the grassroot institutions. Chandor Sarpanch Derrick Braganza Pereira recalled how the Panchayat had organized ward-wise meetings to get the villagers participate in the RP process, but regretted that the government has not notified the RP 2021 till date. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ tambdimati: the Goa review is a community blog of original _/ art, writing, music, news and commentary from and about the _/ smallest state in the subcontinent. check out the newest _/ member of the Goanet family daily at _/ http://www.tambdimati.com. _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/