ILLEGAL SHACKS DEMOLISHED IN BARDEZ

Tourism department officials demolished six shacks illegally erected on tourism land on the beaches of Calangute, Candolim and Nerul. Confirming the demolitions, tourism director Swapnil Naik said his staff had identified the illegal shacks around 10 days ago. The illegal shacks were erected without obtaining any NOCs and licenses from tourism department. The department mobilised the demolition squad of the deputy collector North Goa and demolished five shacks on the Calangute-Candolim beach stretch and one shack in Nerul. The demolitions were done under police protection. When asked if the department will file any charges against the owners of the illegal shacks, Naik said no charges will be filed but the shack policy has a provision whereby these offenders can be barred from applying for shacks in the future. The tourism department had also demolished eight shacks and vending stalls on the beaches of Keri and Arambol in Pernem taluka .

SARPANCH, SECRETARY SUMMONED IN ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION CASE

While illegal constructions have been coming up in the State despite of rules and regulations in place, one such construction in Chandor-Cavorim village in Salcete taluka has landed authorities in trouble as issue was brought before the High Court.A Division Bench comprising of Justices Naresh H Patil and N A Britto had summoned Deputy Director of Panchayats, South Goa and the BDO, Salcete to the Court over illegal construction When the matter came up for hearing the Court raised the question as to how an illegal construction done without any prior permissions, could be regularised. “Anybody can construct anywhere and then seek legalisation,” remarked Justice Patil.However, Adv Rodrigues explained that under Village Panchayat Building Regulations there is a provision to legalise an illegal structure if permissible in law. Offending structure is not regularised if not permitted under the law. Also, penalty is imposed on the applicant, he said.He also pointed out that one of the circumstances that led to passing of the order was that panchayat had passed resolution to regularise the structure.However, counsel for the petitioner Adv Galileo Teles told the Court that the provision under VPBR is not applicable in this case as the person who has carried out illegal construction has not made an application for legalisation of the structure. The Division Bench also asked government advocate why panchayat was not heard by the deputy director before passing the Court. The Court directed that notices be issued to the sarpanch, the secretary to remain present on the next date of hearing.

POLICE RAID LOUTOLIM VILLAGE PANCHAYAT

The Maina Curtorim Police raided the office of the village Panchayat of Loutolim in connection with the alleged fake Regional Plan 2021 submitted to the Town and Country Planning department.A police team made their presence felt at the panchayat ghar o and verified the documents submitted by the Panchayat to the police and the original documents lying in the Panchayat office.Maina Curtorim Police station incharge, PI Sidhant Shirodkar informed that the police recorded the statements of the panchayat secretary and other staff and have verified the outward register.Replying to a question, PI Shirodkar informed that the investigations into the case is currently on, adding that the police today verified certain original documents and recorded the statements of the staff.Further investigations are on.

12 SHACKS RAZED AT KERI AND ARAMBOL

The tourism department on Tuesday demolished 12 shacks which were operating without the necessary permit at Keri and Arambol beaches.According to reports, authorities demolished 11 shacks at Keri beach . Incidentally, one of the shacks reportedly belonged to Rama Harji, husband of Keri-Terekhol Sarpanch Rima Harji. The other shacks were owned by Mahesh Talkar, Gulabo Talkar, Sandeep Talkar, Yogesh Talkar, Raja Mathkar, anant Gaonkar, Data Devji, Kishor Devji, Dattaram Kalangutkar and Amar Talkar.Later, tourism authorities demolished one shack at Arambol beach. The shacks were demolished under police protection.

BENAULIM VILLAGERS WANT RESERVATION FOR GULF RETURNEES

The plight of thousands of Goans working in the Gulf countries who are facing the impact of ‘World Recession’, which could render them jobless seemed to have stirred Benaulim villagers to move a resolution in its gram sabha . During the gram sabha, it was resolved that 90 percent jobs in the village’s starred hotels and the hotel industry should be utilised for Goans, particularly those returning to the home state from the Gulf countries. Majority of the gram sabha members opined that help could be sought to sort out any differences existing between the members of the gram sabha and the elected representatives in the interest of the village, and added that the local MLA, Mr Francisco Pacheco, panchayat minister, director of panchayat and the collector could be approached to settle the problems faced by the villagers. Their opinion was largely accepted at the adjourned meeting of the panchayat, which for various reasons saw turmoil in several gram sabhas in the past.A special meeting was sought to be held in this regard and a resolution was adopted in this respect too. The marathon gram sabha finally concluded after witnessing eight consecutive adjournments, which is a record of sort in the history of the gram sabha of the panchayats held anywhere in the state and these adjournments took over a period of around three months.The meeting which was chaired by the deputy sarpanch, Mr Stanley Fernandes in the absence of sarpanch, Ms Carmeline Fernandes, who sources disclosed, has reported to be sick, took stock of the grievances of the villagers and came in for appreciation for the concern of the villagers’ problems.One of the hotly debated issues was regarding the adamant attitude of the hoteliers to recruit locals and after good discussion on the subject a five-member committee was formed to keep a check on hotels that fail to employ the locals.The issue of the ‘Dando football ground’ also figured wherein it was felt that not enough steps were taken by the panchayat body to take possession of this ground. But when the deputy sarpanch promised that this issue would be settled, calm prevailed and the gram sabha reposed faith in the words of the chairperson who announced that a sum of Rs 35 lakh have been budgeted for the development of this football ground.Another issue that figured as usual was regarding the mega housing projects wherein a demand was made that erring builders should be taken to task.Meanwhile, confusion prevailed at the gram sabha of the Raia panchayat that was held on Sunday to discuss the draft regional plan, 2021.There were differences of opinion regarding the draft regional plan prepared by the village committee and the one prepared by the panchayat body.The sarpanch, Mr Savio Gomes came in for lot of criticism from the gram sabha members for allegedly stifling the voice and the will of the villagers and for his decision to scrap the draft regional plan prepared by the village level regional plan committee.This announcement of scrapping the regional plan of the village level committee was made after the sarpanch gave just two options --- either to accept the plan or reject it and then announced that the regional plan has been rejected. It was disclosed that a fresh regional plan would be drawn taking into consideration, suggestions and objections from the villagers. The fresh regional plan would be displayed at the village panchayat once it is ready and this would be done in a short period of time, it was disclosed.

KHOLA IN PERPLEXED STATE WITH 19 STRUCTURES MARKED FOR DEMOLITION

With the South Goa demolition squad all set to demolish 74 structures in Poinguinim and Loliem-Polem villages , Khola residents have been left in a perplexed situation with 19 marked CRZ illegal structures.The South Goa demolition squad is all set to raze down 40 CRZ-related structures on Poinguinim village coast, mainly in Talpona and Galgibaga areas.The Loliem-Polem panchayat area with 34 marked structures is next on the list of demolition squad from January 18.However, the demolitions of CRZ-related structures, which even though already served with demolition orders at Agonda (30) and Khola (19), dates are yet to be fixed, but expected shortly after the demolitions at two southern coastal panchayat areas.“Some identified structures responding to the demolition orders have already demolished structures themselves and accordingly filed a reply to the panchayat with photographic proof,” Agonda Sarpanch Jovi Fernandes told Herald.“We have not arrived at any figure, but when a date is fixed, demolitions of only the remaining CRZ structures will be taken up,” said Fernandes, replying as to how many of the identified CRZ structures have themselves demolished illegal CRZ structures.However, residents in Khola are still not ready to accept the demolitions of CRZ-related structures of even a single of the identified 19 structures in any form.Speaking to Herald, Khola Bachao Abhiyan President Precopio Fernandes said: “Presently, what is happening in the rest of the coastal villages in the State is unacceptable to us. We will not allow such demolitions of a single structure in our village.”Says Romato D’Costa, a local, “Most of the 19 structures said to be identified by the Khola panchayat belongs to ST community people and I wonder how the government is going to take care of the affected people.”One Ambrosio Cardozo, was also sceptical of the government doing nothing on the issue and is visibly bent in saying that government is determined to uproot niz-goenkar’ from their own State.“With none in actual taking up the salvage operations to save people’ residences from imminent danger of CRZ-related demolitions, what we as senior residents of the State are supposed to do in such circumstances is not known,” asked Cardozo, who don’t see any hope for the young generation of the State to live in peace in future in their own State.KBA President said: “We don’t give empty warnings, but if at all government fails to protect all our 19 marked CRZ structures in the village and dares to touch even a single structure, the government may have to fight with its own people who will not lag behind to wage a war for their survival.”

STRUCTURES IN CALANGUTE CRZ TO GO

At least 40 structures within the CRZ-I area of Calangute have been finalized for demolition, according to a recent order of the North Goa deputy collector. According to sources, the revenue authorities have fixed January 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 as the days for the demolition drive in Calangute. The deputy collector has already sanctioned the demolition squad to carry out the exercise. The North Goa SP has been asked to provide a police force and the PWD to provide labour. Likewise, the electricity department has been requested to disconnect electricity supply to the structures to be demolished. The 40 structures in Calangute are part of the 344 structures finalized for demolition by the North Goa deputy collector in the villages of Arambol, Morjim, Anjuna and Calangute. On December 1, 2009, the deputy collector had finalized the demolition of the 344 structures in North Goa after these were identified by the respective panchayats through their affidavits in the high court. The deputy collector’s order is in compliance with the directions of the high court of Bombay at Goa to work out an eight-week time schedule to carry out demolitions of the illegal structures built in violation of the CRZ notification. Razing of illegal structures in Pernem taluka has already begun with the demolition squad levelling several illegalities in CRZ-I in Morjim on January 4 and more demolitions in the village fixed for coming days.

DEMOLITIONS IN CALANGUTE STAYED

The demolition drive against CRZ violations along the Calangute coastline that began ended abruptly with most affected residents obtaining stay orders from the directorate of panchayats. The Calangute panchayat had identified 40 structures as illegal. Of these eight were demolished and two were removed by their owners themselves accounting for 10 structures. The demolition squad demolished just one structure at Baga when the Calangute panchayat secretary S Prabhu made a written submission to the Bardez block development officer, Shivprasad Naik, that the remainder of the affected owners had obtained relief from the authorities. Of the remaining 29 affected parties, some obtained stay orders from the additional director of panchayats. The latter also referred many cases back to the Calangute village panchayat with directions to look at the cases afresh, and some matters are pending before the directorate of panchayats. In view of the submission made by the VP secretary, Naik said that there will be no more demolitions in Calangute. "When the panchayat wants, we will provide the demolition squad. I will submit my report to the deputy collector Bardez and together, we will submit a report to the deputy collector, demolition squad, North Goa," Naik said.

LOCALS OPPOSE LAND ACQUISITION AT SIRVODEM

Government’s plan to acquire three lakh-odd square meters of land adjoining the Sewerage treatment plant at Sirvodem-Navelim has come under stiff opposition from affected farmers and locals.At a meeting held at Sirvodem, the farmers vowed to oppose the government plan tooth and nail.Former Margao Municipal Chairperson Johnson Fernandes questioned the government’s logic behind huge agricultural land for the sewerage project. He pointed out that the STP at Sirvodem had been a nuisance for the local people for want of proper maintenance.Johnson expressed his full support to the agitation by the farmers and locals and urged the people to unitedly oppose the proposal.The farmers pointed out that even Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has made it very clear that the state governments should not acquire cultivable fields for the purpose of industrialization and urbanization. “How can the government acquire the agricultural fields when the farmers are cultivating the same”, they asked.George Barretto, Jose Paul Coutinho and others also spoke at the meeting. It has been resolved to lodge strong objections before the district Collector opposing the acquisition of their fields.

MINES DEPARTMENT PROCESSING 800 REQUESTS,GREEN SEES RED

The state mines department is currently processing 800-odd applications for permissions to carry out prospecting of iron ore and bauxite and also for renewal of Portuguese era leases. Environmentalists and anti-mining activists, however, feel it is time the state limited mining to sustainable levels. The continuous demand for Goa’s low grade ore has spurred holders of decades-old leases to dust their licenses and seek their renewal or purchase rights from others. Inquiries with the department reveal that 400-odd requests have been received for renewal of leases, many of which had not been operated for almost four decades. There are also some 400 fresh applications for prospecting purposes, especially in the talukas of Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona. As of now, 80 to 100-odd leases are in operation. Admitting that 400-odd new applications have been received for prospecting, a source in the mines department said, "These may take a long time and it depends on the government’s policy." Environmentalists, however, aren’t too pleased with the development. Goa Foundation’s Claude Alvares said, "Goa is already suffering and burning from mining for the last 20 years, especially during the last few years. It is important to assess the damage already caused. If the government is committed in protecting Goa’s environment and water bodies, then it should do so." Many feel that the government should determine the area and number of leases to be operated at any given time. Environmentalist Ramesh Gawas said, "Earlier, leases were granted to operate only manually in thinly populated areas, but now machinery can destroy a landscape within a few days, and the fallouts are irreversible for denser habitations." Agrees Yogita Mehra of TERI, the energy research institute in Goa. "It would be a good idea to consider some kind of ceiling on how much land, given Goa’s small size and fragile eco system, can be dedicated for mining in a sustainable manner," Mehra said.

MAINTAIN ECOLOGICAL BALANCE,ARCHBISHOP TELLS LEADERS

Stating that any development should be guided by love, the Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao has called upon the state authorities and others concerned to give urgent attention to the ecological balance and sustainable development, which, he said, was so much in need of.
Addressing an august gathering of the dignitaries including the Governor, Dr Shivinder Singh Sidhu, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, his wife, Ms Asha Kamat, cabinet ministers, senior government officers, clergy and others to mark the Christmas celebrations; the Archbishop said that the state legislators and politicians sometimes give an ear to the aspirations of the people, as platforms were offered to these to make their voices heard. “We also see them paying attention to the ecological balance and sustainable development, which this land was so much in need of,” he said even as he drew attention of one and all to the dwindling agricultural land, desertification of the farming space, erosion of beaches, which he added were some of ecological problems which have, by and large, merited the attention of the state leaders. He, however, said that that was not enough and that there were many other issues that needed attention. He said that there were perspectives that we needed to take into consideration as we look towards sustainable development in the state. Quoting the Pope he said one of the values that needed to be taken care of was that the development of people depended, above all, on a recognition that the human race was a single family working together in true communion, not simply a group of subjects who happen to live side by side. He said that the Church has consistently proclaimed and defended this universal value throughout its history. Archbishop Ferrao expressed a fervent hope that “any development or promotion of the human person be guided by love” and assured that the government would always have the most frank collaboration on the part of the Church in Goa, as far as it was allowed by the situations and, above all, by what it believed.Stating that there was widespread environment destruction, he said that there was widespread anxiety about environment degradation and called upon political leaders to show the will to slow down the degradation.

LOUTLIM VILLAGERS FILE COMPLAINT WITH POLICE

Making good on their promise of filing a complaint on the ‘mysterious’ draft regional plan submitted to the Town and Country planning department, the villagers of Loutolim filed a complaint with the Maina Curtorim police station. This plan was apparently submitted without the consent of the gram sabha and the panchayat body, The villagers, in the complaint filed at the Maina Curtorim police station, have asked for an investigation into an alleged fraud in this draft RP 2021 for Loutolim village submitted to the chief town planner.
The complaint addressed to the police inspector says that a fake plan, with an alleged illegal forwarding letter bearing a allegedly fake outward number using a panchayat seal, sarpanch seal and with the signature of the sarpanch dated July 15, 2009, has been submitted to the chief town planner.According to information, this matter was raised at the body meeting dated December 30, 2009 and in the gram sabha meeting on January 3 where the sarpanch had apparently said that his signature was forged on the forwarding letter as well as on the plan. Also the complaint says that the sarpanch and the secretary had informed the gram sabha that the panchayat had not officially submitted the said forwarding letter and it was not appearing on the outward register of the panchayat.Pointing out that as this was a very serious criminal offence and needed to be investigated as per the provisions of the law as “somebody has either made wrongful use of the panchayat letter head, panchayat seal, sarpanch seal and above all forged the signature of the sarpanch or has prepared a duplicate letterhead, panchayat seal and sarpanch seal.”The complaint also said that “it is pertinent to bring to your notice that the village level committee for Loutolim village selected by the gram sabha has prepared, approved and submitted the proposed draft regional plan to the taluka level technical team on 15/4/2009 after following all due procedures laid by the government.”The complaint also says that the present plan submitted is quite different from the one earlier submitted by the “Village Level Committee and it is necessary to interrogate the persons who will benefit from the changes made in the fake plan submitted.”The complaint also says that though the sarpanch and the secretary are aware of this illegality we fail to understand why they have not yet registered an offence.It may be recalled that the Loutolim gram sabha on Sunday was dominated by the issue of a ‘mysterious’ draft regional plan being submitted to the TCP with some gram sabha members alleging “dilly dallying” on part of the panchayat. The sarpanch, Mr Jose Fernandes, speaking to media after the gram sabha had said that he would ask for certified copies and then would take action.However, a gram sabha member and member of the Village Development Committee, Mr Franky Monteiro had told media after the meeting that they (on behalf of the VDC) would be filing a complaint to the police on this issue.“We will surely file a FIR, whether the panchayat files one or not. The fir will be filed on behalf of the VDC,” he said. “We need accountability. We need to know who is behind this.”

RAHEJAS' PLOT GETS CARMONA VP NOD

Plans submitted by the Mumbai-based real estate developer, Rahejas for sub-division of plots at Carmona got the stamp of approval from the village panchayat.Days after the Town and Country Planning Department issue provisional NOC to the real estate developer, the Carmona Panchayat body on Wednesday approved the proposal for the sub-division of plots. At the panchayat meeting held , the members approved the sub division plan submitted by Rahejas as per the NOC granted by the Town and Country Planning department.The meeting was attended by six members and chaired by Sarpanch Estaquio D’Costa. Panch Orlando da Silva, who had been opposing the Raheja project, was conspicuous by his absence as he put absence of leave and put up a note strongly opposing the project on grounds that the project is against the wishes of the people. He further said the Panchayat has approved the project when an inquiry instituted by the Deputy Director of Panchayat is pending.Sarpanch D’Costa said that while granting the approval, the Panchayat has made it quite clear that the existing 5-meter road will remain as it is, adding that not a single compound wall or structure would be demolished.When his attention was drawn to the plan show the approach road as 10 meters, the Sarpanch said the Panchayat had in the past approved plans for private bungalows even when the road is hardly five meters. “When these plans were approved, there was no objections received from Orlando and others”, Sarpanch said.The TCP had last week granted provisional NOC to the Mumbai based real estate developer with a condition that the Panchayat should look into other requirements.The approval was opposed by ward member Orlando, who contended that the 10-meter wide road show by Raheja is not existing on the ground. It was Orlando’s contention that the existing approach road to the property is hardly four meters and wondered how the TCP could issue provisional NOC to the project.

ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION DEMOLISHED AT SIRSAIM

An illegal construction belonging to a hotel, located near the Tivim railway station was demolished in the presence of a strong police force and senior government officials.
According to the information available, the panchayat of Sirsaim had after receiving complains from the railway officials, taken a serious note of this construction and accordingly after conducting an enquiry and site inspection had submitted a report to the mamlatdar of Bardez, who in turn, had forwarded the same to seek approval from the deputy collector. Finally, after the necessary approval was obtained, the demolition squad demolished the illegal construction of the hotel. Also present were joint mamlatdar of Bardez, Ms Meghana Shetgaonkar, Sirsaim sarpanch, Ms Diksha Khanolkar, and Mr Bandekar from the BDO office. The demolition was carried out peacefully. Incidentally the railway station falls in the jurisdiction of the Sirsaim village panchayat, but ironically it has been named as Tivim railway station.

MULTY LAYERED CAR PARKING IN PANJIM

The multi-layered car parking, which was planned near the St Monica Jetty, behind Animal Husbandry building and which was meant to ease the growing parking problem has hit a roadblock as the area is said to be under institutional zone and the construction coverage is less, prompting the department to rethink on their plans.The state tourism department had drawn up a plan for integrated development of infrastructure for heritage and hinterland tourism in Goa and the multi layered parking was the part of the plan. However, according to the Director of Tourism Swapnil Naik, the project of multi layered parking is yet to get the green signal from the Planning and Development Authority.“The PDA has informed us that the area where the building is planned falls under institutional zone where only 33 per cent of coverage is permitted,” Naik told Herald. Having only 33 pc of area for construction will not serve our purpose as it will accommodate only 150 vehicles, which we already can accommodate without carrying out any construction, he said.“Hence we have asked the PDA for the change of zone,” he stated. The six-storied parking facility could solve the Parking woes near the Santa Monica jetty which is overcrowded in the evening.Each floor of the six-storied parking building, planned by department would accommodate 54 cars, Naik stated adding the building would also house ticket counters, food courts, rest rooms and other facilities on the ground floor. Meanwhile, while the PDA has halted the multi-layered parking project, it has approved three other tourism related projects.The Department of Tourism, through project consultant Lotus Environment, had proposed development of Panjim hub with development of Finger-shaped jetty to accommodate ships and a ship-shaped building, tourism information plaza designed to facilitate easy access of information to tourists, a Paryatan Bhavan' and an amphitheatre. “The PDA has approved the construction of Paryatan Bhavan, Finger-shaped jetty to accommodate ships and a ship-shaped building and the underpass below the new Patto bridges,” said Swapnil Naik.The director further said that the entire tourism department building will now be demolished for the construction of Paryatan Bhavan. He said that the tenders for the above works would be floated soon after the NOCs are obtained from various departments.“The project Cell of the GTDC is working on it in association with the consultants and once they get all documents we will start the tendering,” he said.The Central government has sanctioned Rs 43 crore for the above projects which also includes integrated circuit development for cultural heritage and backwater tourism

CALANGUTE,BENAULIM UNDER CRZ HAMMER

one of the biggest demolition drives in recent times, authorities razed 12 illegal structures—eight along Calangute’s Baga beach and four at Benaulim beach—within the CRZ area, with the demolitions scheduled to continue for several days. Police posses at both place kept the peace. Deputy collector Sanjiv Desai who led the South Goa demolition squad informed that while three structures—a residential house and two store rooms—were completely razed at Benaulim, the demolition of a hotel had to be abandoned halfway after the owners managed to secure a stay order from the additional director of panchayats. “Some 13 structures had been identified for demolition in Benaulim, out of which owners of nine structures obtained stay orders from the authorities. We were thus left with the task of demolishing only four structures ,” Desai told TOI. Benaulim sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes was also present during the operation. In Calangute the demolition squad moved into action around 11 am with labourers manually tearing down a shed-like structure belonging to and adjoining a popular Baga restaurant. The next demolition, a few metres away, was done by the JCB excavator, which ripped apart the front porch of another restaurant while puzzled foreigners in swimsuits mingled with locals to watch the spectacle. The eight demolished structures belonged to five different owners and included a garage, two storerooms-cum-offices, one big wooden structure and one storeroom-cumtoilet. All the structures were identified as “illegal” by the Calangute panchayat in compliance with the high court order. Accordingly, Bardez deputy collector D Redkar, Bardez block development officer S Naik and other revenue officials took the help of Calangute sarpanch Laxman Palienkar and panchayat secretary Subodh Prabhu in identifying the illegal structures. The structures have been termed illegal because they were built within the 0-200 metres no-development zone after 1991 when the CRZ notification came into force. The Calangute panchayat had initially identified around 40 illegal structures within CRZ limits of the Calangute coastline, but Redkar who supervised the demolitions till midday, told TOI that the panchayat had not given him the exact number of structures to be demolished. Redkar said that according to the statement of the panchayat secretary, about 14 Calangute residents had appealed to the Supreme Court and many others had approached the panchayats director. Some of these residents were seen clutching notices from the panchayat director directing them to remain present for a personal hearing on January 11. “That is not a stay order. A notice for personal hearing and a stay order are two different things. We have to follow the law,” Redkar said. With demolitions not possible after sunset, Naik said the operation at Calangute will resume next morning.

PLEA FILED CHALLENGING PERMISSION GRANTED TO DABOLIM PROJECT IN HIGH COURT

Though Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) and Save Our Slopes (SOS) through their collective effort have succeeded in getting the Chief Town Planner to issue stop hill-cutting instructions to the DLF project at Dabolim, a writ petition has been filed in the High Court challenging the permissions granted to the company.Goa Foundation and Edwin Mascarenhas, resident of Chicalim who obtained information under RTI filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court challenging the permissions on Wednesday.Following the instructions issued by chief town planner, hill cutting has been stopped as demanded by GBA and SOS, convenors of the two organisations Dr Sabina Martins and Audhut Naik respectively said at a press conference here. GBA treasurer Anand Madgavkar, joint secretary Miguel Braganza, members Dr Oscar Rebello and Aravind Bhatikar were also present.Naik explained that several corner meetings and public meetings were held in the villages of Chicalim, Dabolim, Sancoale and Cortalim jointly by SOS and GBA with the participation of other village level groups. A delegation of GBA and SOS which repeatedly called on the CTP had objected to the Town and Country Planning Department giving hill cutting permissions under Section 17-A of the Goa TCP Act, 1975 [as amended] despite the gradient of slope being more than 25%.As a consequence of the protest, the stop work instructions was given and a committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of Deputy Town Planner Mr Bandodkar with a technical representatives of the SOS-GBA to physically verify the gradient of the hill slope which was not done before giving permissions.The joint technical team went for inspection and preliminary reports given by our surveyor stated that the property is thickly forested making it difficult to calculate slopes, Martins said adding that in the areas where trees were cut, the slopes were of more than 30%.The GBA and SOS have demanded that the hill cutting permissions be withdrawn in writing immediately. In the meantime, the Dabolim villagers are keeping a strict watch on the property to see that no hill cutting and tree felling takes place, Naik said.GBA declared that it would continue to challenge the “illegal permissions” given by various authorities for the project. The DLF project at Dabolim has got exemption from the conversion sanad on grounds that the area is shown under settlement in the ODP of Marmugao, even though the whole area has been shown as No Development Zone in the RP-21, Martins said.The project proposals were apparently kept pending with Mormugao PDA for more than three months without any examination of the proposal, thereby allowing it to be interpreted as “deemed permission” by the applicants, Saravati Builders/DLF, she added. GBA and SOS have demanded that the government take corrective action to revoke all permissions which has resulted in loss of revenue as well as set in motion the irreversible destruction of eco zones

DRUGS TRADE THRIVING IN GOA

With apologies to Vasco Da Gama, welcome to the tourist paradise that's now facing a drug-laced foreign invasion, fatal and much worse than the Portuguese invasion. With Goa becoming a haven of drugs, rave and sex, its beaches have become a major market for foreign narcotics dealers. While Russians have taken over the drug business in Morjim and Arambol beaches in Pernem, Israelis run the show at Vagator. The Scotts trade in Calangute and Baga, while the Nigerians and Kenyans dominate Candolim. Many of the Goans themselves are not too far behind. In the once hippie heartland of Anjuna, local boys are the main narco dealers. In 2005, the International Narcotics Control Board, India, had released a list of 248 major drug peddlers in the country, 90% of whom operate in North Goa. A year later, Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes raised the issue of drug sale and also presented a list of drug dealers in the assembly. But everyone is "untouchable" in this sordid nexus between the peddlers, police and locals. Fernandes said drug abuse is high here. "I fear that soon the international drug lords will fight to gain dominance on Goa's turf," he said. However, home minister Ravi Naik maintains that his uniformed men ensure that there is no drug abuse in Goa. Investigations reveal that every tourist season popular drugs like cocaine, MDMA and ecstasy tablets are imported and sold at trance or rave parties in Goa. This year alone, approximately 500 kg of cocaine has been smuggled in to Goa by Nigerians and sold to locals by Kenyans. One gram of cocaine costs Rs 3,000 to 4,500. An ecstasy tablet ranges between Rs 400 and 1,000 and a gram of pink and white powder of MDMA costs anything between Rs 1,000 to 4,000, depending on whether it's tourist season or not. The Israelis mainly deal in LSD, which costs about Rs 400 per drop. The drug business runs so deep that it involves not just dealers and runners (employed at shacks and on boats to carry drugs), but also 'hiders' and a 'Mr Fixer'. "While the 'hider' hides the drugs for the dealer, 'Mr Fixer' coordinates the trade and ensures that the business goes on peacefully. While the former gets Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh a month, 'Mr Fixer' gets a commission on every matter he sorts out," explained a rave party organizer. A shack owner in Anjuna said that cops protect the trade as they too earn a cut. Interestingly, top police officials admit there are some in the force who are complicit in the drug racket, but say they are helpless to deal with it. "Every cop and local knows who the drug dealers are. Yet Goa police's Anti-Narcotics Cell seem to go after the drug abusers rather than the drug dealers," said Fernandes.

SURVEY CONDUCTED ON DABOLIM HILL

A committee constituted by the Chief Town Planner (CTP) along with a surveyor nominated by Save Our Slopes (SOS) and Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) undertook a joint survey of the slopes of a controversial mega housing project at the Alto-Dabolim hill.Following demands of the SOS and GBA for a physical verification of the gradient of slopes of the controversial housing project, the CTP appointed a committee headed by Deputy Town Planner Prakash Bandodkar to undertake a joint survey along with a surveyor appointed by the SOS and GBA.“The TCP surveyor and a surveyor appointed by the SOS and GBA have inspected the gradient levels at the site,” Bandodkar told Herald.“This is because the SOS and GBA have complained that the developer has violated the planning norms and have claimed that the slope at the site is beyond the permissible limit of 25 per cent gradient,” he said.“We have not carried out a detailed survey, but have only inspected the highest and lowest levels of the slope, to verify the gradient levels. We will calculate the gradient and if it is within the permissible limit of 25 per cent, then it will be assumed that the developer is within the planning norms,” Bandodkar added.Speaking to Herald, SOS Secretary Edwin Mascarenhas said they had completed the survey of a major portion of the site. The survey will be completed by soon,” he informed.

3 STRUCTURES RAZED AT CHICALIM

Chicalim panchayat demolished three encroached structures on the communidade land behind Cottage Hospital, Chicalim.The three structures were demolished following an order from Chicalim Communidade.“Despite communidade having demarcated its area by building a fencing wall, the residents have encroached into communidade land by extending their houses,” said Chicalim Sarpanch Raul D’Costa.He further said that they demolished three extended structures , while a toilet would be demolished soon.Communidade Attorney Ashok Sancoalkar said demolition drive was possible with cooperation from the Chicalim panchayat. “The structures which were razed down were given on rent by the encroachers,” said Sancoalkar.Panch Seby D’Souza and Ligorio Monteiro, personal assistant of Cortalim MLA Mauvin Godinho, were present. A police team led by PSI S L Kambli was present during the demolition.

MAJORDA LOCALS TRAIN GUNS ON SARPANCH OVER CRZ ISSUE

At the gram sabha of the Majorda village panchayat held , sarpanch Visitation D'Silva came in the line of heavy fire from villagers. They accused her of shielding influential starred hotel owners from having to face the axe of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) demolition squad. Agitated gram sabha members accused D'Silva of being biased in identifying the illegal structures and charged her with "protecting the interests of the hoteliers while acting against the welfare of the poor." D'Silva tried to calm frayed tempers by explaining that many structures, including some starred hotels, had approached the court and thus no action could be taken against cases which were sub-judice. The explanation, however, failed to convince the infuriated members present at the meeting. The villagers further quizzed the panchayat body for failing to take any measures to recover the huge arrears of house tax of a starred hotel, which, incidentally has amounted to over Rs 6 lakhs. The sarpanch then assured the gram sabha that appropriate action would be taken and the recovery would be effected within the span of the next six months. The gram sabha members of the Majorda village panchayat further expressed their disapproval over the failure of the panchayat body in taking any steps to identify a site for garbage disposal. They demanded that necessary steps be taken in this regard immediately. Voicing their concern over the misuse of open spaces in the village, the gram sabha adopted a resolution demanding that the village panchayat take all steps necessary to protect open spaces.

LACK OF TRANSPARANCY OVER DEVELOPMENT WORK AT CHIMBEL

A discussion on lack of transparency over development and housing projects at Chimbel, a nearly decades-old stalemate over a village school and playground project, deforestation of a large tract of forest land on a hill near the military camp, and pollution of cultivable paddy fields kicked up some dust at the gram sabha . In the gram sabha meeting chaired by sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar, villagers bemoaned the pending status of the twin high school buildings and playground projects and asked the sarpanch to look for alternation options. Kunkolkar explained that the matter was sub judice and cannot be taken up for discussion. But, villagers, especially members of Chimbel Manch led by president Rumaldo Carvalho, suggested that panchayat consider an alternative option as the issue has been debated for three decades. However, panchayat authroties cut short the discussion citing legal implications. This irked the villagers. The village school is being run in a community hall with partitions drawn up to make class rooms. For some time, classes were being conducted in a private house. Similarly, the playground for the locals, for which a foundation stone had been laid by then chief minister, Pratapsing Rane, was also incomplete. A legal dispute over the ownership of land (alleged to be comunidade owned by given on lease) in which the school and playground are to come up have resulted in a stalemate for several years. Sources said a work order has been issued to construct the playground at Chimbel almost a year back when Lok Sabha elections had been announced. But, when members raised the issue at an ordinary gram sabha, the sarpanch said that nothing could be done due to election code of conduct. "No further process has been done after that," the source said. A market complex was also proposed for the village. The approval was granted to several housing projects. Out of 11 wards, at least three wards, which are reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates also generated some heat. "We should be taken into confidence when approvals are given to any big projects," a member said, expressing fears over the demographic changes in a ST-dominated locality. One particular project envisaging the construction of 70 flats is under construction in one ward reserved for STs. The sarpanch has also been elected from one of these wards, a source said. Another vexing problem in the village - the flow of sewage and drain water from the upper reaches of Chimbel hill into the cultivable fields - was also taken up. Villagers complained about the problems in cultivating their paddy fields. However, not much discussion took place as the sarpanch ended the meeting, despite a demand by members to allow time to cover some more issues. The sarpanch explained that enough opportunity had been given to raise issues. He subsequently walked out of the gram sabha. Chimbel Manch vice president, Gurudas Shirodkar, Govind Shirodkar, Mohan Kunkolkar and some other villagers raised issues at the gram sabha, but sources said that some unruly elements created a ruckus and often heckled members trying to make a point over some pressing issue.

HIGH COURT CURBS ON NEW COASTAL STRUCTURES

Irked by the inaction on the part of coastal panchayats to tackle garbage menace, the High Court of Bombay at Goa directed the local bodies along the coastal belt not to issue any fresh Occupancy Certificate (OC) to new construction projects having more than “five family units” until they fully comply with the court’s earlier directives on setting up of garbage disposal facilities.The court however, clarified that the panchayats could issue OC if the developer makes sufficient arrangements to take care of the garbage in the project by constructing garbage disposal and composting facilities. The Division Bench of Justice N A Britto and Justice U D Salvi observed that “no facilities worth their name have been put in place. Garbage can be seen everywhere. This can only result in health hazards to the community at large.”The court expressed disappointment over the inaction of the panchayats to put up garbage collection, segregation and disposal facilities. The Bench also noted that “although the panchayats are quick in sanctioning large construction projects, they are very slow in putting in place garbage disposal facilities. Large projects are bound to produce large waste which has to be collected, segregated and disposed. Waste disposal sites have not been put in place for the last 7 years.”The Court has also issued show cause notices to Cansaulim, Majorda, Betalbatim, Naqueri-Betul, Fatorpa, Cavellossim, Anjuna, Colva, Morjim, Paliem, Arambol, Mandrem, Chicalim, Sancoale, Chicolna-Bogmalo and Calangute panchayats as to why the Rs 25,000 deposited by them with the court should not be forfeited for not complying with the courts directions.The bench passed the directions during the hearing of a suo motu writ petition questioning the garbage disposal system in the State. During the hearing, Senior Counsel A N S Nadkarni appearing for GSPCB said that none of the panchayats had been sincere in tackling the garbage menace. That they have not complied to the court’s directions is evident from the inspection report.The Bench has further directed the panchayats to comply with the directives at least by the next date of hearing – which is four weeks from now — failing which the court would take appropriate action including contempt proceedings against the panchayats.The Court had on February 18, 2009 passed an order directing the coastal panchayats to collect, segregate and dispose off the garbage by building composting units. The Court had also directed the panchayats to collect the plastic waste for recycling.On June 23, 2009, the court had directed the coastal panchayats to deposit Rs 25,000 each for showing their bona fides in dealing with the “serious garbage issue” after an inspection report of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) pointed out that they had not complied with the directives.Later, on November 25, 2009, the court had asked the GSPCB to carry out a fresh inspection of the garbage disposal sites of the 26 coastal panchayats in the State for verifying whether the court’s earlier directions were being violated. Accordingly, the GSPCB had on December 17, 2009 filed an inspection report before the court.

YOUNGEST GBA MEMBER SEEKS RAHUL GANDHI'S INTERVENTION TO SAVE GOA

The youngest member of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) Aaron Pereira sought the intervention of MP Rahul Gandhi to save Goa from destruction which is going on through reckless mining, land acquisitions with hidden agendas, playing with land – the scarce resources of Goa. “I have faith in your vision, I beg you not to abandon Goa to thoughtless policies, surely encouraging discontent and naxalism. The people will be with you if you help stop illegal mining and disempowerment through Government gazetted land-grab in the name of public interest” Aaron said in his letter he handed over to Gandhi during the latter’s interaction with the students in the Goa University campus, Taleigao. He said as a young Goan he is desperately helpless and frustrated to see the accelerated lawlessness and plunder Goa’s land is going through, with rampant mining and mindless land acquisitions with little public interest at heart. “I have seen successive Governments arbitrarily acquiring land and promising employment, with little or no thought behind them, housing projects disguised as SEZs, five star resorts disguised as Food Parks …. And what of the IT park? How do we trust this when the first heavily advertised building was a super mall in the shape of a ship?” Aaron asked. Elaborating further, he said that just as our beaches prove to be our lifeline in terms of fishing and tourism, there’s another secret to our well being - the richly forested Western Ghats. Passing through the spine of Goa, he pointed out that they are part of the top twelve bio-diverse hotspots in the world, and are responsible for fresh water springs, crucial to the well being of people. New species and medicinal plants are being discovered regularly in these regions. “If Goan people are known for being peaceful, it’s because they have lived in harmony with everything that nature provides”, the letter says.However this world hotspot is being destroyed at an alarming rate, with it people and secrets locked in plants that we are yet to find uses for, Aaron said.Giving an example, he said like Switzerland has kept its beauty, leveraging chocolate, banking and natural beauty as its industry, why can’t Goa make an industry in export of medicinal plants unique to the Ghats, of Feni, of managed forestation in denuded areas that serve the Indian plywood industry and increase green cover at one stroke.Why can’t Goa be the jewel in India’s crown, a successful experiment in a small place, brought about by the will of a forward thinking Government? he asked.If you help swing policy for equitable distribution, making Goa a rich and sustainable state you will be forever etched in our memory as the politician who did the right thing