For favour of publication.Thanks, Averthanus _____
Continuing SEZures. Averthanus L.D'Souza. The physical and cultural integrity of Goa is under serious threat not only from the land sharks in India, but also from abroad. In a recent internet advertisement one finds that international property development company David Stanley Redfern has launched it's latest Asian project, the sprawling Peace Valley in Goa. According to the information provided, the township covers 55,125 square metres at Sirvoi, Quepem and consists of 23 villas and 174 apartments. The units range from one to five rooms and are set in a guarded (n.b.) communal neighbourhood with swimming pools, golf course, tennis court, running track and horse stables.(n.b.) The landscaped development also features children's playground and a club house with gym and sauna. Plans are also in place (n.b.) for a Peace Valley flying club which will give residents a facility for the use of micro and ultra-light aircrafts. The advertisement in question gives the impression that these elaborate plans have already been approved - otherwise there would have been no point in advertising the development. The Government of Goa needs to inform the citizens about the allocation of 55,125 square metres of land to a foreign developer, and how permission was given for the development of an entire township including facilities for a flying club for the residents to use micro and ultra-light aircrafts. Has the concerned Department of the Government of Goa obtained the necessary clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India and from the Airports Authority of India to set up a flying club in Sirvoi ? The more serious question that arises for the citizens of Goa is what are the norms which are applied for the sanctioning of such large townships to non-Indian developers. Also will Indian estate developers be accorded the same facilities? Land is one of the scarcest resources in the small State of Goa. It has to be used with the greatest of prudence and in a way that will not prove to be counter-productive in the long run. No scientific and systematic studies have been made of the land use patterns in Goa and the ratio of land use between agricultural, horticultural, commercial and industrial purposes. To the common citizen it appears that the Government of Goa has been allocating land for various uses on an ad-hoc and completely unscientific basis. The land use is being determined by powerful business, commercial and industrial lobbies. The forest cover in Goa is being depleted at an alarming rate. The ground water resources are being exploited haphazardly without any provision for replenishment. Mangroves have been devastated for commercial purposes without any concern for the ecological impact that this is having and is going to have in the long term. The beautiful hills of Goa are being systematically leveled for short term economic gains, which will have long-term negative effects. The most obvious and frightening spectre facing the citizens of Goa is the utterly arbitrary manner in which land, natural resources and the environment of Goa are being decimated in a senseless manner. In spite of public agitations, the different Departments of the Government continue to function in an altogether irresponsible and reprehensible manner. One glaring fact that emerges from the confusing picture is that each Department of the Government works in complete isolation from the others. What the tourism department does is unknown to the Infrastructure Development (of the PWD). The formation of various Corporations have only further added to the confusion. The Cabinet does not appear to be a cohesive body which controls all aspects of government. Each Minister does what he pleases and the Chief Minister appears to be completely out of control. The excuse that certain projects were initiated by a previous Government does not hold any water. Government is a continuous process and the Government which is in power at the moment simply has to accept responsibility for whatever is happening. If errors were made by a previous Government, those errors should be corrected; if wrong decisions were made, they should be rectified. It is not enough to pass the blame, as is done regularly by succeeding governments in Goa. The first and topmost priority of the Digambar Kamat Government should be to completely overhaul the different institutions of government. Many of the unnecessary Corporations which were set up without adequate thought should be scrapped, and the functions which were allocated to them should be restored to the Departments. The functioning of the Departments should be upgraded and their functioning should be made efficient. The hallmark of the government bureaucracy is inefficiency and lethargy. This needs to be attended to with the utmost urgency. The citizens of Goa need to know from the Chief Minister how a developer like David Stanley Redfern has placed international advertisements for his project the Peace Valley in Sirvoi, Quepem, Goa. Has this Peace Valley project been approved by the Goa Government? Details should be provided to the citizens. Averthanus L. D'Souza, D-13, La Marvel Colony, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004. Tel: (0832) 2453628.