http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/Mickky-likely-to-fall-in-trouble/34242.html
Mickky likely to fall in trouble HERALD REPORTER Mickky likely to fall in trouble TCP denies permission granted for land-filling at Colva HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 4 Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco may find himself in more trouble on the Colva land-filling case, with the Chief Town Planner categorically saying that no permission for land filling or conversion has been granted by the Town and Country Planning department to the Minister till date. Chief Town Planner, Morad Ahmed told Herald that his office has not granted any permission to the Tourism Minister to convert the land in question till date. When his attention was drawn to Pacheco’s statement that he has applied to the Chief Town Planner seeking permission for conversion of the land from agricultural to coconut garden, Ahmed said “may be the Minister has made the application, but that does not mean that permission has been granted for the land conversion”. Even as the Bombay High Court has directed the Tourism Minister to appear in the court next week on the matter concerning land filling, many an eyebrows are raised whether the TCP office adopted different yardsticks for the Minister while dealing with the land conversion case. It’s one thing that the TCP did not move with alacrity when the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum complained of land filling activity, but the decision to serve a 7-day notice on the Minister has indeed thrown up a host of questions. One, sources in the know questioned the logic behind serving the 7-day notice on the Minister seeking explanation on the land filling activity, while the same officials moving with alacrity to file FIR against the common man involved in land filling activity. When this question was brought to the notice of the Chief Town Planner, Ahmed said the matter pertains to South Goa and asked to pose the question to Senior Town Planner S T Puttaraju. When contacted, Puttaraju defended the decision not to file a report to the Police to lodge an FIR as the TCP office required time to first verify the facts. When pointed out that the TCP does not normally adopt a similar approach to the common citizens when land filling complaints are brought to their notice, Puttaraju said “Pacheco is a Minister. We therefore decide not to jump to conclusions, but instead took a decision to seek explanation from him within 7 seven days”. Puttaraju further said the TCP office had intimated the Colva police on the matter, but had no explanation when it was pointed out that the police were informed only to stop further land filling and not on the question of registering a complaint. Incidentally, Herald inquires with the Margao TCP office has revealed that the Tourism Minister has not filed his explanation or reply to the notice till date. Sources in the know said the TCP would follow the procedure if the reply from the Minister does not come within the set time-frame. -- Please post your comments on my Blog: http://goanidentity.blogspot.com/ Please also see below: 1. Benaulim Village Action Committee: http://www.bvacbenaulim.blogspot.com/ 2. "Rape of Goa" : http://www.parrikar.com/blog/the-rape-of-goa/ 3. MAND - an adivasi-rights resource centre : http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/ 4. EVERY GOAN SHOULD SEE THIS VIDEO: http://infochangeindia.org/Infochange-documentary.html 5. For the Love of Konkani: http://www.radiogoa.net/ 6. Goa's Identity Movement website: http://www.goamag.net/gim 7. Goa's Identity Movement group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com//#/group.php?gid=193497031686 8. Official Government Site NRI Office (GOA): http://www.globalgoans.org.in/