------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660 Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------ Goa Action Group launches agitation in Panjim city ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Goa Action Group (GAG) has staged this dharna as the first step of its agitation against the lack of accountability in the Goa Government and waste of tax payers money on superfluous projects in the name of IFFI infrastructure.
The Organisations under the banner of Goa Action Group(GAG) have made sustained efforts to obtain information and approached the Chief Minister on 30th March, 2004, with a list of questions put up by the people awaiting the answers thereof.
The GAG is shocked at the attitude of the Chief Minister who is also the Chairman of the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) in refusing information to the people.
The GAG is also dismayed at the fact that the Website on IFFI which promised to be informative had absolutely no information other than what was already known to the people through the Press. This only goes to show that the Government has no intention whatsoever in disseminating information to the public, or has no information to publish as plans have not been finalized. Yet, tenders have been issued and contracts awarded.
What is even more disturbing is the fact that the Standing Committee of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) was treated as a mere rubber stamp, as tenders for works against plans prepared by the CCP under the "Together for Panjim" campaign were already issued, contracts awarded by the GSIDC, and the matter was put up to the Standing Committee by the Commissioner a month later for its approval.
What is indeed shocking is the fact that work in the River Mandovi has already begun, while the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) has not yet been carried out. This is indeed a very serious irregularity and it is a shame that the Government of Goa in its hurry to host the IFFI is bypassing all procedures and flouting all regulations that it is actually required to enforce.
The Rules and Regulations as it seems here are for the public to follow and for the Government to break. This is a very bad example set by the Government and will send wrong signals to the people by a Government which had set out to correct the wrongs that were done by its predecessor Governments. This is indeed a shame for Goa that boasts of being the No. 1 state in India.
The GAG also condemns the action of the Government in demolishing a stadium to build a temporary structure costing 20 crores to be used only for a period of 20 days (10 days in a year) for the IFFI, and by promising football lovers that the stadium will be rebuilt after two years.
If the Government was sincere it could have taken up the repairs of the stadium in the year 2001-02 itself or thereafter when there was a budget allocation made for the stadium's repair, since the previous Governments had failed to do so.
However, entertaining the IFFI guests has been more important to the Government than encouraging a sport which is dear to the hearts of Goans.
Another major scandal is the fact that Government funds (read "people's money) are being used to upgrade privately owned theatres. Besides an amount of 16.5 crores to be spent on these theatres is a waste of public money, which is slated to be a "long term interest free loan" to these private owners of the theatres besides a tax holiday for 5 years. One of the theatre owners who happens to be an MLA in the present Government, has gone on record to state that his theatre has been running at a loss. If this would be the state of affairs after the IFFI, would the Government "waive" this large amount of public money if the owner is not able to repay the loan?
The GAG demands a CBI enquiry into what it suspects are highly inflated estimates of the Projects published by the GSIDC and the irregular and illegal tender procedures followed by the GSIDC on the excuse that the time is short and the infrastructure has to be in place by November 2004, for the IFFI.
The GAG also demands that the Corporation of the City of Panaji and the GSIDC of which the Chief Minister himself is the Chairman should immediately be brought under the purview of the Goa Right to Information Act.
The GAG condemns the autocratic attitude of the Chief Minister of Goa in declaring in public that he would not bring the GSIDC under the purview of the Goa Right to Information Act and that it is not necessary for elected representatives to explain to citizens details of Government projects.
There are other major priorities that are required to be attended to in the State, and with the excuse of the IFFI deadline, these have been kept on the back burner. The GAG is surprised at the Government's attitude in ignoring the demands of the Candolim residents for removal of the wrecked River Princess which could break up anytime and cause an environmental disaster.
The GAG is also concerned that the issue of identifying and putting into place two garbage disposal sites for Goa has remained in cold storage. These are issues that should have been tackled with much more urgency as these directly affect the lives of the people of Goa.
The GAG would like to remind the Government that basic amenities like underground sewerage system, dependable electricity, good roads, adequate and safe drinking water are yet to reach various parts of Goa.
Such huge funds of public money, if available, should be used to supply these basic amenities to the people of Goa. The GAG demands that the Government should rethink its list of priorities and spend funds on these amenities on a priority, and host the IFFI with the present infrastructure, only with marginal changes if at all necessary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Source: Press Release from Patricia Pinto (Convenor) Goa Action Group (GAG) -----------------------------------------------------------------------
======================================= GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE Documentation + Education + Solidarity 11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507 Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.goadesc.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy =======================================
##########################################################################
# Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts #
# More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others #
##########################################################################
