Message: 3
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 00:46:18 -0400
From: "godfrey gonsalves" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
An impressive gathering of villagers, well meaning citizens of
villagers of Cavelossim, Carmona, Orlim, Varca, Benaulim, Colva, Betalbatim,
Majorda and other villages bordering these areas attended the solidarity meet
held today 12 May, 2008 from 5 .00 p.m to 8.00 p.m at the Dando Grounds at
Benaulim Salcete, to warn the Government to desist from hobnobbing with real
estate agents to promote mega projects in the villages of Goa.
Mr Pravin Sabnis of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan cautioned the people that
the political establishment was hand in glove with the realtors and also
the mining lobby. This was clear the Chief Minister himself is
involved in the real estate business and holds the mining portfolios.
Ramesh Gauns a teacher from Bicholim and an activist in the mining
talukas fighting against the ills of mining that threatens to ruin these
talukas in the Novas Conquestas also cautioned that the same fate that befell
the people of these mining areas would befall the coastal areas with the
mega projects which are all designed for investments and will be beyond the
reach of the common man.. The "Go Goa" slogan of the Government litterally
meant that Goa should disintegrate making way for a Mumbai, Delhi or Bihar in
place of Goa.
Miguel Braganza elucidated the events in the mining areas of Colamb in
Sanguem where local women who were arrested by the police and locked up
for a day but came back undaunted and registered their protest de novo
and succeeded in stopping the trucks carrying ores [through a road made in the
forest] for well over a fortnight.This showed that if one is determined none
can challenge their might. Mr Braganza complimented the people of Salcete for
their role in the historic Opinion Poll in 1967 the Language agitation in 1987
and the Regional Plan in 2007. [He said that the people should ask their
Village Panchayats to constitute the Ward Development Committees to prepare the
Local Development Plans for each ward and the whole village. The WDC process
was already notified on 13 March, 2008 in the Official Gazette of Goa, he said.]
Serafino Antao an activist from Carmona [Serafin Cotta, President of Goa Hit
Rakhan Manch?] elaborated the role of mega projects. He stated that these
projects are pre-determined not according to the choice of the buyer but
according to the developer. They are sold as an investment for rupees twenty
lacs to to sevently lacs well beyond the reach of Goans. The apartments are
alloted community based for Sikhs Moslems Biharis Maharastrians each in
separate wings He advised Goans to be cautious for this will reduce us to a
minority.
Fr Maverick [Fernandes , Executive Secretary] of the Council for Social Justice
and Peace [CSJP] stated that the will of the people will prevail. Whether it
was the Keri movement, the SEZ, the casino at Cavelossim, the Regional Plan
2011 and now the mega projects cannot be permitted if the people decide so.
The implementation of the Village Development Plan as enshrined in the 73rd
Constitutional amendment is of vital importance and the deliberations at the
Gram Sabhas was a message to the Government that it reflects the will of the
people. He stated that a plan for such a people participative action was
proposed to the Government but there was no response. He said the Regional
Plan has no meaning without a village development plan. Goans need houses
affordable in the range of five to six lacs with additional hike as and when
price of steel cement brick and allied material inflates but not at suicidal
costs of twenty five to a crore..
Lincoln Fernandes from Chandor who had earlier prepared a vision
document for the people of Chandor village speaking to this writer stated that
the plan would now be whetted to give it a force for implementation . He
agreed to the suggestion of this writer that the plan should be written in
Konkani (Roman script) for the understanding of all the people.
Mr Rama Velip of GAKUVED a tribal group active in the belt of Sattari
Sanguem and Canacona spoke of the ills of mining and given the Chinese
boom rampant mining has destroyed all the water bodies and caused pollution.
The incentives given to opposing villagers is in cash or kind, trucks to
transport ore
Sabina Martins a social activist [of Bailancho Saad] said that the Government
was actually promoting SEX tourism not family tourism. The result is that 5
casinos are granted licences on land on river and others will follow suit.
Rent a
room and apartments in mega projects which are usually unoccupied are used
for prostitution and drug trade , these being the components of sex
tourism.
Others who spoke or were seated on the dais were Mr Cassiano Furtado,
Mr. Rosario Fernandes, Ms Ida Coutinho, Mr Arnaldo Rodrigues, Mr Antonio D
'Silva, Alvito Fernandes, Kim Miranda Lincoln Fernandes. Tio Fernandes,
Ciriaco Barretto .
Ms Geraldina Fernandes the Chairperson of the Benaulim Citizrn Action
Committee complimented the audio visual and print media for their extensive
coverage of the peoples movement and hoped that the unity of the people will
result in saving Goa from treacherous hands.
Roses were offered to each of the news men as a token of appreciation
of their co-operation.
The following resolution was read out and passed unanimously:
This solidarity meet of the villagers of Cavelossim, Carmona, Orlim, Varca,
Benaulim, Colva ,Betalbatim, Majorda and elsewhere gathered here under
the banner of "Ganv Ghor Rakhonn Manch" resolves that:
a) all proposals of communities and mega projects must be scrutinised
and
studied by the Gram Sabha
b) the VP and all government agencies must facilitate the process of
creating need based village development plans with the active
involvement of the villagers
c) the basic needs of water electricity and other needs of affordable
housing be addressed on an urgent and priority basis.
d) all new building projects should have mandatory provisions for rain
water harvesting, garbage management, sewage treatment plants, planting
trees etc;
e) we will strive to connect to all village movements and work together
to secure our right as enshrined in the 73rd amendment of the Constitution
f) the regional plan should be created on basis of the village
development plans, till such time no mega projects should be permitted.
This resolution will be sent for signature in all the coastal villages
in the Salcete belt and forwarded to the Government.
sidelights
a) When this writer went around the venue it appeared that many
representatives of the hotel lobby and the developers were present at
the venue
b) some non goans too were nervous of the impending events
c) one Sindhi industrialist who had invested in an apartment last March
was apprehensive that if villagers resent out presence it will be difficult
for them to live in a congenial atmosphere
d) the police force was present in a sizable number and they expected
the organisers of the meet to wind up by 8.00 p.m., which they did.
e) a number of people were blaming the landlords most of whom live in
Margao who were responsible for selling large tracts of land to
outsiders though some of them were seen amidst the crowd.
f) one villager expressed shock that projects are planned higher than
coconut trees i.e approx 9 metres and above . The apartment owners
desire a birds view of the sea paddy fields etc he remarked.
g) several panch members were also seen in corners far from public gaze
for fear of earning the wrath ot the people/
h) six hundred signatures were collected on books circulated at the
venue.
from the Dando Benaulim grounds
[Words in brackets added by Miguel Braganza]
Source:
Subject: [Goanet] DANDO BENAULIM MEET SENDS SHOCK WAVES
Message ID < [EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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