Stephen,
I fully agree with you. I was once told by Gerson de Cunha that lawyers in Mumbai flocked to AGNI to take up PILs. Regrettably, not so in Goa Thanks & Regards, Jose Maria Miranda Borda, Margao, Goa. From: Stephen Dias [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2015 12:06 AM To: Goanet; Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! Subject: [GOANET:] GOAN ADVOCATES REQUIRE TO FIGHT AND LIBERATE CHAPORA FORT AND VAGATOR BEACH GOAN LAWYERS, WAKE UP Goan lawyers need to file public interest litigation and not waiting for money to come in from poor people into their pockets to fight and save Goan Forts and beaches from being taken over by Non Goan builders like Diana builders, in Vagator. A Non-Goan known as Bonsoule has devastated the hill slopes around Chapora Fort with massive constructions and preventing entry to the Beach for Goans by his Hotel project and helipad on Chapora fort. Earlier Retreat House was in trouble about his retaining wall and Fr. Ronnie D’Sousa was seen fighting in TV channels while politicians are fiddling as Goa is drowning and decaying. Fr Eremita is in arms with the Tiracol tirade, golf courses and Mopa airport. Unfortunately no Goan advocates are seen at the Chapora fort arena while it is being destroyed to take up and fight the case; they should rise up and stop only making money and take public interest litigation to the High Court and Green Tribunal to save Vagator beach and Chapora fort. I have seen recently an activist Dr. Joe D’Sousa in Prime TV Channel exposing the destruction of sand dunes, hill slopes, biodiversity and heritage in the Chapora fort area. I was informed that poor people of Chapora and Vagator are unable to take up public interest litigation to the court due to their low financial resources. Most of the advocates in Goa are prepared to take up individual cases and not those which are of Goans public interest. Some advocates fight individuals like Churchil Alemao, Micky Pacheco etc. and do not take public interest issues like damage to fort, cutting of forest, trees etc. Only Goa Foundation is rare NGO taking public interest issues. Goa produces more than 150 new lawyers each year and none just a handful of lawyers show public interest at heart and use the court to give public justice. More than 5000 lawyers in Goa need to wake up and do public service and use Court to see Goa ecology environment is saved from real estate sharks and others who destroy our eco system and depriving the future generation of the Goan natural beauty which I and my generation enjoyed in the past which is elusive and unavailable for the future generation due to rampant corruption and illegalities. WAKE UP LAWYERS, WAKE UP. STEPHEN DIAS SENIOR CITIZEN AND SOCIAL WORKER ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
