*Carmona's battle against Raheja's is a sad Goan story: H* http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=15426&boxid=15573365&uid=&dat=9/8/2015
*COMMENTS:* Indeed, it is a very very sad story. However, GSRP would like to know if the Dy. Sarpanch, Mr. Olando D'Silva is still against the project with his objection to it standing like it was in the initial stages, more specifically when he took to the roads with demostration near the then CM's house in Margao some time ago [ a video footage of it is with us] , for which demonstration we were also participating. But if Orlando D'Silva's stand has now changed to pro Raheja's, then this could be for one of these reasons, and we do hope we are WRONG for the sake of Goa and Goan, which will totally and abosulety destroy the credibility of upright Goans, or at least what is still remaining and if it is remaining. 1. Orlando D'Silva could be under tremendous pressure to say 'YES' to this project despite his previous and present opposition. The reason could be that someone is blackmailing him with his not so clear past, threatening him that his past will be exposed. This is one reason most upright persons shut their mouths because there are skeletons in their cubboards which if exposed will demolish their present standing. If Orlando D'Silva is in deed has a past that is not compatible with his public standing, then he should not have taken the center stage against Raheja's and he should not have contested the Panchayat elections. He should have put some other person in that place who is clean enough to stand the scrutiny. 2. Orlando D'Silva has compromised his stand for either favours or for cash. If this is the case, which we hope is not, then he should be publicly exposed and asked to resign from his position in the Panchayat, outright. This is because GSRP has been associating with him and we have gone on record to say that we that he is a clean person, and have been splashing a lot of RTI information that he had acquired and passed on to us regarding this project in the past. GSRP never, repeat never, supports any compromised person/s because GSRP is an open book to bring flawless change for GOA through its Contititutional (hurting) provisions in Article 34 & 38 and generally through its Road Map for Goa. GSRP will see that no Ground + 2 floors come up in any Village Panchayat areas - i.e. VP1, VP2 & VP3. However, all VP construction will necessary have stilt parking area where parking possibilities are limited, which stilt parking will not constitute as a floor. GSRP will bring in TDR [Transfer of Development Rights] to protect sensitive Villages, their ecosystems, CRZ & Heritage sites with strict implementation where one can avail the bonanza of the price rise and still protect these sensitive areas. At this juncture, GSRP likes to make it clear to Goa and Goans that its frontline leadership is NOT compromised or has any skeletons in their cubboards. GSRP is very very careful whom it inducts into the party so that its position is never compromised. We must confess that GSRP did have persons in its founders list of 16 with skeletons in their cubboards and they have been asked to exit through the back doors in order not to hurt them - a principle that GSRP borrowed from Singapore's first Prime Minister and late Lee Kuan Yew. To cite a standing example with GSRP's fight against corruption, this is what happened, in the very village which houses the head office of GSRP, which is MOIRA: A Mumbai based friend of ours had approved a plan for a residential building in the Village of Moira. He thought it fit that we should take on ourselves to get him the Panchayat permission to build after handing over to us the approved file where Rs. 3,96,000.00 were paid to the TCP department as INFRUSTRUCTURE TAX. The file was complete with all NOCs [Electricity & Health] as required, where all basic amenities like water, power, road/s, garbage disposal etc taken care of. Therefore, we were chosen [floriano lobo] to approach the Panchayat for the construction licence as we have the reputation of not paying a single paisa in bribes to any one. The friend probably did have an incling that he could be taken for Lakhs of rupees by the Panchayat. As Power of attorney, we submit the file in the Panchayat on *6 June, 2014*. A cooked up gram sabha meeting was held to discuss the file. The resolution passed by this body went against the project to say that the infrastructure was lacking and that the file should be returned to the PWD, Electricity Department to veryfy the existence of the facilities. We received no response to our application within 30 days of submitting the file. On 31st day, we approached the Dy. Director of Panchayats under section 66 (2) of the Panchayat Raj Act. The Dy. Director was pleased to uphold the appeal and passed the Order that Panchayat should issue the necessary permission within 15 days. This Order was passed on 6 November, 2014, a clear 6 months after filing the appeal. The Panchayat goes into appeal to the Additional Director of Panchayats under Section 66(7). The case dragged and stretched for months together when finally the Adl. Director of Panchayat dismissed the appeal of the Panchayat upholding the Order of the Deputy Director of Panchayats. This order was passed on 1 September, 2015 a clear 9 months after the appeal was filed by the Panchayat. In all it has taken 15 months of a gruelling fight to get the permission. However, we made sure that the owner (friend) was severely warned not to pay a single paise to the demands of Rs. 10 lakhs bribe. If this was done, then he would have to face the ire from the POA himself. In the meantime, the ex-sarpanch has been deposed and the new body is in charge of issuing the construction licence which is due on 15 September, 2015. Cheers GSRP