--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC) Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ JGF opposes jetty in River Sal for five star hotel Casino boat ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fouz (JGF) the activist campaign on tourism issues, takes strong objection to the reported No Objection Certificate (NOC) granted by the Captain of Ports to the Leela Hotel to construct a jetty in river Sal without the clearance of the Village Panchayat of Cavelossim and appropriate environmental agencies.
JGF hails the vigilance of the local villagers at Mobor who were quick to draw the attention of the Sarpanch Edwin Barreto of Cavelossim Village Panchayat who stopped the construction work and the trespass in private properties by personnel of the five star hotel. JGF is fully aware that the five star hotel used the arrival of VVIP guest the former President of USA, Bill Clinton to undertake the movement of heavy machinary and materials into the river Sal hoping to get the construction of the jetty started without the requisite permissions. JGF cautions the Goa Govt. that any attempts to undertake the construction of a jetty or dredging of the river Sal to bring in a Casino boat will face stiff resistance from the villagers, traditional fishermen and public at large. JGF is also aware that the ONGC is being used as a smoke screen to undertake various surveys of the river Sal with regards to depth and tide flow so that in actual affect this data will be used to construct the jetty and plan the entry of the Casino boat. It maybe may be recalled that there have been earlier attempts by the five star hotel to site a golf course on the properties of the ONGC Petroleum Safety Institute in the Canaguinim-Betul area by using the Land Acquisition Act. The golf course resort was to be connected to the five star hotel at Mobor by a cable car which never materialized due to the resistance from the local villagers. JGF cautions the Goa Govt. to desist from allowing the police personnel posted in the area to be used to harass the local villagers at the behest of the five star hotel security staff. Attempts to issue threats to mundkars, toddy tappers and other villagers to leave the area will not be treated lightly. JGF also cautions the Goa Govt. that any attempts to convert the Mobor peninsular into a ghetto for five star luxury foreign tourists at the expense of the homes and livelihoods of the local villagers will be resisted. Meanwhile JGF will prepare a dossier titled "Don't Fence me Out" highlighting the attempts and instances by the Five Star hotels in Goa owned by Indian Big Business Houses to privatize land & beaches thereby pushing locals out of their traditional occupations and places of rest and recreation. The dossier will be circulated at the meeting of the Global Travel & Tourism Council to be held in April 2006. ------------------------------------------------------------------ JGF Press Release from Roland Martins. Email Contact<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fouz (JGF) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ===an activist campaign on tourism issues in Goa=== --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Liberty Apts, Feira Alta, Mapusa 403 507 Goa ========================================== -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.0.0/268 - Release Date: 2/23/2006
