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GULF-GOANS e-NEWSLETTER (since 1994)
http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans/
Moti Dongor rehab scam
Michael D’Costa, Margao
The news article in Herald (19 Jan), regarding rehabilitation of the illegal
occupants of Moti Dongor in Margao, is just another gift of the CM, neither to
the people of Margao nor to the people of Goa, but to his fatted vote-bank
nesting cosily at the cost of the Goan people.
The once beautiful Monte Hill, now known as Moti Dongor, and disdainfully and
rightfully looked upon as the hideout of criminals, belongs to the Comunidade
and not to the Government of Goa. Has the Government Goa acquired this land
from the people of Goa to give it to non-Goans? If so, the government is
anti-Goan.
If the Chief Minister and his predecessors have not acquired the land from the
comunidade but usurped it illegally to promote their vote bank, how can they
say that their vote-bank chamchas are owners of the land? They have to be
evicted because they are illegal occupants. Hence there is no question of
rehabilitating them anywhere in Goa, at the expense of the people of Goa. They
are all people who have homes and lands in their respective states. Their
dwellings on Moti Dongor have to be demolished just as other illegal dwellings
are demolished by the MMC.
If the CM wants to help poor Goans, let him give the land occupied by the
migrants of Moti Dongor to the mundkars of Goa. Then we can say that the land
is really given to Goans.
Is the CM waiting for a terrorist attack to wake him up to the raw truth? Why
can’t the CM convert his own building into a mega structure and rehabilitate
them above his apartment, so that he can be a constant support to their
nefarious activities and vice versa?
The land of Moti Dongor ought to be conserved and used as a place for hiking,
eco-tourism and relaxation for the general public, and should be devoid of any
commercial activity.
Let me warn Mr Kamat that if ever the draft city plan materialises, the
government of Goa must acquire the land from the comunidade after giving due
compensation. The components of the comunidade are the rightful owners of the
land, not the migrants. Like he has done to the people of Bainguinim, the CM
should not force more Goans to agitate on the streets.
(Letter to the Editor in Herald)
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… for rehab of 1600 slums including Moti Dongor
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JAN 18
The City Development Plan has accepted the fact that Margao faces a threat from
mushrooming slums and squatters, but has proposed rehabilitation of the 1600
existing slums, including Moti Dongor.
The Plan accepts the bare fact that slums today occupy nearly six per cent of
Margao’s total 13,000 households.
Describing Moti Dongor as the city’s largest slum, with around 500 households,
the CDP has called for rehabilitating the slums free of cost under various
government schemes.
Incidentally, while the Moti Dongor area is an eyesore to the city, the CDP
says the city is blessed with beautiful hills which can be developed for
tourism and hiking.
The CDP do agree with the fears of Madgavkars that slums and squatters do pose
a threat to the city along with congested roads, inadequate capacity building
and the absence of planning data concerning the city.
Incidentally, the CDP dealt at length the weakness of the city, saying the city
has been affected by the absence of planning data, lack of tourism avenues,
traffic congestion and the lack of coordination amongst government agencies.
In fact, the plan has mooted administrative reforms, wherein the local Margao
civic body is entrusted the responsibility to execute most of the civic
functions in a planned manner.
Moti Dongor: Menace or myth?
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
An eyesore. A migrant hub. A hideout for anti-socials. The political
stronghold of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, et al. The very mention of Moti
Dongor instantly brings to the fore these facets before the average Madgavkar
in particular, and Goans in general.
>From just five huts in the early ’70s to a bustling slum – 342 shanties
>dotting this once-picturesque hillock, Moti Dongor has indeed come a long way.
>Today, the shanties are inhabited by 99.9 per cent migrants – mostly hailing
>from the districts of Bijapur, Dharwad and other parts of Karnataka. Two Goan
>families and as many families from distant Kerala are the odd ones out in the
>area.
It is believed that the first settlers on this barren Comunidade land came in
1972, when work on the microwave tower and the nearby staff quarters was
underway. Ask Tara Rajput about the situation three decades ago, and he can
still count on his fingers the first five settlers – Tara Rajput, Gangaram,
Abbas, Shankar Naik and M Yelappa. “We had basically come to Goa in search of
manual labour. The hillock was barren. I still remember the five families
taking shelter under a makeshift shed put up for construction work,” he recalls.
>From just five huts, the figure steadily rose to 25, from 25 to 95 and then to
>180 huts, as the demand for manual labour at construction sites opened the
>doors for the influx of migrants. And this hillock turned out to be a fertile
>ground for local politicians in search of vote banks – the authorities
>literally turned a blind eye to the rampant encroachments on Comunidade land
>over the years – before the number of hutments reached the present figure of
>a staggering 342 huts.
But it’s not quite the exclusively Muslim stronghold it’s made out to be. The
hillock has both Hindu and Muslims migrants, though it is believed the
demographic balance tilts slightly in favour of the Muslims. Two temples
belonging to two different Hindu committees and a Masjid adorn Moti Dongor. In
fact, members of both the communities have been staying harmoniously for the
last three decades and the recent seizure of a consignment of swords seems to
have come as a big surprise for the migrant populace.
Aware that Moti Dongor is now looked upon suspiciously by people across Goa’s
commercial capital, residents seek to distance themselves from the miscreants.
“The people here in general never did any harm to the locals. Because of one
house, Moti Dongor has come under focus for the wrong reasons,” said a resident
agitatedly.
Leaders heading the local committees feel the police should crack a whip
against the law-breakers and ensure peace in the area.
Kamat’s personal stronghold
Politically speaking, Moti Dongor has always been a stronghold of Chief
Minister, Digambar Kamat. Such has been his stranglehold, that the residents of
Moti Dongor have always rallied behind him – regardless of whether he’s
contested under the saffron banner or showing the Congress’ hand.
Take note: supporters of the Chief Minister – when Kamat was in the BJP – had
stoned Congress candidate Girish Chodankar’s car and virtually stopped him from
entering the area during the 2002 Assembly polls.
The BJP painfully realised the bitter truth of Kamat’s influence over the
migrants during the 2005 by-polls, after he quit the saffron brigade to embrace
the Congress. It is said that in one particular booth Kamat polled 400-odd
votes, while the BJP had to be content with less than 50 votes.
Explaining the phenomenon, Kamat’s staunch supporter Tara Rajput says: “We back
him no matter which party he belongs to. He has helped us in good and bad
times, when other leaders turned their backs on us.”
They want decent housing
Thanks to the Chief Minister, Moti Dongor enjoys most civic amenities. It has
Sulabh toilets for men and women, storm water drains and roads. Households have
power and water connections.
But the ultimate dream of the migrants – to have a concrete roof over their
heads – still remains distant. The government and the Chief Minister is
treading a cautious path on this sensitive matter, lest he incurs the wrath of
Madgavkars and Goans.
For good reason; Kamat knows how he was forced to shelve his plan to acquire an
additional 20,000 square metres of land for the rehabilitation of the migrants,
owing to strong protests and adverse public opinion. He is accused of pampering
Moti Dongor at the cost of the city.
The proposed City Development Plan, under preparation, is considering a
proposal to turn the eyesore into a bustling housing colony.
A source of manpower
Many look upon Moti Dongor as a migrant hub and a den of anti-socials. But from
these shanties comes the manual labour for the city – skilled as well as
unskilled. A significant number of Margao’s carpenters, tile fitters, plumbers,
painters, fitters, masons and construction labourers come from Moti Dongor.
Besides, the headload porters who do brisk business in the wholesale and fish
markets, mostly hail from the hillock.
Goa World Goa Mog Goa SuRaj Super Goa (em Português) TGF
Writers' Sketchpad www.colaco.net
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Station for KONKANI
Mahableshwar http://www.mahables hwar.com St. Mary's School - Mt Abu,
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FIRST KONKANI E-CINEMA FILM "BLACK NHESHOP ATANCHEM FASHION" PRODUCED AND
DIRECTED BY T-BUSH to be released in GOA - View the trailer
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GOA MAG ONLINE http://www.goamag.net
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Congratulations and best wishes to President Barack Obama. I watched the
inauguration speech and was very impressed. If he manages to fulfill just a
tenth of what he has promised, his place in the history of the human race is
assured. And I have a nagging suspicion that he will. - gaspar almeida
http://faltu.tv/performance-shows/12-performance-shows/217-the-amazing-christopher.html
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