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* * * 2006 ANNUAL GOANETTERS MEET - GOA * * *
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WHERE: Foodland Cafe - Miramar Residency - Miramar, Goa
WHEN: December 21, 2006 @ 4:00pm
More info:
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2006-December/051412.html
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http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1068314
Goans crusade against real estate boom
Pushpa Iyengar
Friday, December 08, 2006 23:59 IST
There has been a mass protest against transforming vast areas of
forest into settlement zones under the Regional Plan
PANAJI: In a bid to save Goa from the throes of real estate boom and
preserve its natural beauty, Goans have finally come together and have
raised their voice against the Regional Plan 2011. According to the
plan, around seven crore square meters of land was sought for real
estate purposes.
The Town and Country Planning Minister and the mastermind behind the
plan, Atanasio Monserrate, alias Babush, has been pushed into the
backfoot ever since the who's who of Goa, including fashion designer
Wendell Rodricks, have joined in the crusade.
If the proposed plan, which was notified in August this year, is used
as a blueprint for construction work, it would turn many jungles and
orchards into settlement zones, said many. Interestingly, the final
plan is completely different from the draft plan that came out three
years ago, suggesting that no opportunity was given to the public to
raise voice their opinion.
Babush received a setback last week when the High Court temporarily
stayed the Regional Plan and now he finds himself deserted even by
officials in the TCP department, who claim that they did not get a
copy of the draft plan. The convenor of the newly-formed Save Goa
Forum, Oscar Rebello, calls it a "manipulation by vested interest to
relegate Goa into an urban slum." And, not only the forum, but most
Goans feel that Babush has embraced the building lobby to fulfil his
ambition of becoming Goa's chief minister.
But Babush produced photocopies of the official correspondence he had
with all government departments, including forest, PWD, Water
Resources, Goa State Coastal Zone Management Authority, asking them to
specify reserved areas (for forests, orchards), road alignments, etc
before finalising the plan.
He claimed that he received no replies from any of the departments
despite several reminders.
Also red-faced is former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who now
says, "If voted to power, my Party (the BJP) will revise the entire
regional plan..." His detractors say that the concretisation of Goa
started when he was the chief minister. They cite the construction in
Panaji by cutting down trees, by demolishing Campal stadium as some
examples of the damage done to Goa.
Despite all anomalies, the Save Goa Forum, hopes to start a movement
to halt the destruction of Goa. Dean D'Cruz, an architect, said: "The
plan sanctions illegality. This will fuel land speculation and shut
out community needs." Already in areas like Baga, hills have been cut
and sand dunes flattened to make way for construction.
"I hope these can be reversed, because the ecology of Goa has already
been threatened," said Heta Pandit of the Goan Heritage Action Group.
Two months back, Dean, Patricia Pinto, who is the convenor of the
People's Movement for Civic Action and Heta Pandit, had come together
to seek withdrawal of the Plan, on the grounds that it is
"anti-people, anti-Goa and anti-environment."
Goa's emergence as a hot property destination is said to have fuelled
the conversion apart from the fact that it is a trendy tourist
destination.
"What is worrying now is that people from Bombay and Delhi are looking
for real estate in Goa. It is largely for them that builders have
sought for more areas for construction work."
Realty Check
Goans have vehemently protested against the Regional Plan 2011
According to the plan, around seven crore square meters of land is
sought for real estate purposes
The Town and Country Planning Minister and the key mastermind,
Atanasio Monserrate, is cornered after the protest
People in Goa see the plan as "anti-people, anti-Goa"
--
DEV BOREM KORUM.
Gabe Menezes.
London, England
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Goanet supports BMX, the alumni network of Britto's, St Mary's and
Xavier's -- three prominent institutions in Mapusa, Goa. Events
scheduled from Dec 16 to 21, 2006
For more details visit http://www.bmxgoa.com
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