A very interesting and a thought provoking post.
I must congratulate VG for that.
I have already gone on record to say (in reference to the management of the
Mapusa Municipal Market and the city of Mapusa itself) that if the elected
representatives of the Municipality do not seem to be applying their minds
to the problems experienced by the Mapusa market (it getting from bad to
worse) then there is no need for the people to line up in queues to elect
them. Send them home and take over the management of the Market and run it
for some time to show what can be done and cannot be done. That is the
people's power in a democracy. I have also said (with respect to Acron's
Moira Project of 15 bungalows costing 2.2 crores each) that Representative
Democracy ENDS the day the election results are declared. It is sad to say
the an elaborate REPORT on the Moira Gram Sabha on the above Acron Project
where the file has been asked to be withdrawn finds no takers in our Goan
Press (at least the English Newspapers). It seems that the 4th Estate is
promoting 'Selective Democracy' in the sense that if one is politically
oriented (ex. self), the message sent to you by blanking out the report
totally and completely is that "we do not like your type of Democracy - but
we like the Democracy promoted by ..............) This is exactly what is
happening to Moira and Aldona (both sister villages with a common problem).
First off:
1. Each and every development plan (except a solitary residential house)
must have a contour plan.
2. Permission to develop stops if the gradient is 20 degrees and more. This
the the TCP regulation.
3. Those wanting to develop their gradient oriented properties (which they
have a birth right to) or properties in CRZ areas which cannot be developed,
the system to follow is 'TDR' which is nothing but Transfer of Development
Rights. This has been actually suggested by Miguel Braganza and is the
onliest concept to protect all sensitive properties against the vagaries of
development rush. In the TDR concept, the owner sells his FAR to anyone who
wants it anywhere in Goa. All that the TCP has to do is to set up Very High,
High, Medium/ Low and Very Low Development Zones throughout Goa in the
Regional Plan. Example Cities could be VeryHigh to High where tall buildings
are allowed with the sky being the limit.. so on and so forth. One has to
use one's imagination ( governments that is). In this case, the owners get
what they want, Goa gets what needs to be protected and most importantly,
the building lobby gets what they want. How's Zat for a SOLUTION TO OUR
CHRONIC GOAN PROBLEM?
Incidentally, the FARs will be on the market and those wanting what they
want will purchase at whatever price they want to pay. Therefore, the
property prices will stabilize with FARs being sold instead of whole
properties. Can one identify a loser here?
If no one does it, Goa Su-Raj will do it. But it wants the present
government (especially the eminent RP-2021 TASK FORCE to do it and take the
credit for it). The question is not about who gets the credit or whose name
comes splashing in the Newspapers. The question is of a thing well done
irrespective of who does it. Afterall somebody has to take the first step.
BTW w.r.t. the above, the Acron's Panth development was question by me ( as
is reported in my post on goanet on 4th April) where I went for an
inspection of the site with a friend from Aldona who reported this massive
digging to me. My visiting card (goasuraj) is with the site supervisor and
Mr. Mihir Vardhan got a call from me from the site to send an inspection
team since I saw massive hill cutting. I was also put on to the Manager
(Britto?) who I assured that nothing will happen if his paperwork was in
order. However, what I am not suggesting here is that I must get the credit
for what is happening in Aldona. NO. The credit goes all the way to the
Aldonkars... and we are proud of that......... and of Moidekars.... and
Carmonkars.... and Siridaokars.... and Siolkars ............... and
collectively of all us GOEMKARS. We are a different breed all together and
we certainly can do things differently and with a huge difference, that is.
This is the SPIRIT IN WHICH GOASURAJ IS WORKING because it does not see just
Aldona or Moira or some selective spot as its concern. Its CONCERN IS
GOA --- from Pednem to Canacona.
I do hope that I have cleared things to some extent.
In solidarity
floriano
goasuraj
BTW Goa Su-Raj has sent its Suggestions and Objections through the PO Box
indicated and also through email to the Task Force on RP-2021. We are yet to
receive a simple ackowledgement. We have talked to Mr. Putturaj several
times who has assured us that we shall be given the hearing by the Task
Force. We have demanded it as Goa's registered Political Party. So far there
has been no intimation. If, this party does not get the legitimate hearing
with the Task Force, the Task Force itself and the Government of Goa will
pay HELL. I have mentioned this to Mr. Datta Naik yesterday when we met for
a private function. We want to discuss the 'TDR' concept with the Task
Force and we are waiting................
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vidyadhar Gadgil" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Goanet mails" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:18 PM
Subject: [Goanet] Seize the Day!
Gomantak Times, 30 April 2008, Editorial
Seize the Day!
Aldona is the latest sign of democracy in action
On Sunday the gram sabha of Aldona village passed a resolution
forcing the panchayat to withdraw all permissions granted to Acron
builders who have plans to construct six three-storey villas of
293 square metres each at Carona in the village. The selling
priceof each apartment is Rs 1.75 crore, but that is another
issue. Although questions have been raised about the dates of the
permissions -- for example, the construction licence was granted
by the panchayat before the conversion sanad was issued -- the
present situation is that a builder who has all the permissions,
at least most of them, has stopped work because the people of the
village are not happy that a portion of land is being converted
into luxury houses for rich folks from outside the state. One of
the issues raised by those against the construction is that the
builder has no licence to cut the hill. This is perhaps the
serious charge levelled against the builder who claims that
excavation for the foundation has been misconstrued as hill
cutting. In the present instance, the will of the majority has
prevailed over rights of the builder and owner, resulting in a
triangle of interests -- the landowner wants to develop his land
and make some money (nothing wrong in that), the peopl of Aldona
want to preserve the pristine beauty and environment of the
village and the builder sees a huge potential in the land for
generating huge profits
The question: How does one resolve this contentious issue? Whose
interest should take precedence? Alternately, is there a middle
ground that can ensure good returns for the landowner, the builder
and the people? There are no easy answers. Firstly, it would be
wrong to view the Aldona issue in isolation. Whether we like it or
not, it is connected to the larger issue of over-development and
influx of migrants that Goa is still grappling with. If it were
just an issue of hill cutting, then a license from the Town and
Country Planning Department should settle the issue provided the
gradient is less than 25 per cent. We are afraid it is not that
simple. The larger issue concerns the meagre land resources in the
state and its judicious use. And who is the best person to
determine how land is used in Goa? Over the last decade or so,
politicians have proved to be the most unreliable custodians of
land. In fact, the government is the largest broker in in the
state. So with polticians having lost the trust of the people on
this count, the only option available is to seize power back from
them, at least on crucial issues.
The on1y way out, as we see it, is by introducing down-top
planning process where people have a say in the future of their
village. The best way of preserving our way of life is by placing
certain vital elements in the hands of the community. In the
present three-tier political set-up this means major decisions
that are going to effect the village at large must be discussed,
debated and voted on by the gram sabha. This approach will put
curbs and landowners and builders in the short term. However, in
the long term all will stand to benefit. If builders believe that
they also have a stake in Goa then they should insist that their
plans be passed at a gram sabha. Goa is moving from and era of
over-development which was driven by vested interests to
controlled progress which is people friendly. The sooner this
happens, the better it will be for all.
--
Question everything -- Karl Marx
