Dear Goans, Ref below reports in Herald & Navhind Times, Can I request you to write your letter of protest to the Editors of Goa's News Papers over Churchill Alemao's backing of Mega-Projects in Goa, the addresses of the newspapers are: <edi...@gomantaktimes.com>, <em...@goatoday.com>, <goad...@rediffmail.com>, <goajournal...@rediffmail.com>, <goanobser...@hotmail.com>, < goanobser...@yahoo.co.uk>, <lp...@navhindtimes.com>, <m...@heraldgoa.com>, < mytimesmyvo...@timesgroup.com>, <navhindti...@navhindtimes.com>, < sunapar...@gmail.com>, <toi....@timesgroup.com>, "Ashwin Tombat" < edi...@herald-goa.com>, "editor paper" <gtedi...@gmail.com>, "news paper" < taru...@rediffmail.com>,
I hope we understand, that un-necessary development not favouring Goans is actually destroying Goa, Its Land & its Identity. And It is high time like minded Goans drive some sense into our destructive MLA's. Arwin (UAE) *Subject: Carmona in arms over building project* http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/carmona-villagers-arms-over-building-project MARGAO: A meeting of Carmona villagers and village groups saw a demand for the immediate scrapping of the project by a major Mumbai builder. The people also demanded that the project be broken up into small plots and be sold to locals. Another demand was that a pipeline that is being allegedly laid by the builders and leads directly into the River Sal should be removed, as it could be used to dump sewage into the river later on. The meeting also condemned the statements made by the PWD Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao that Goans would get jobs in the project as watchmen, as well as that Goans would allegedly squeal for anything. The village groups also visited Orlim where there is opposition building up against a project, on the grounds that it is in a low lying field. The village groups decided to inaugurate the helpline – 1077 – on Monday, by calling and complaining about this project. A crowd of 250 plus was present including around 50-60 representatives from the village groups. This Carmona project has been in the news in recent times after it came up initially as a project having some 600 flats. After immense opposition to that, the revised plan has been provisionally given clearance by TCP after a communication from a senior south Goa cabinet minister, to expedite the acquisition of a 10-meter road. In Orlim too there has been opposition a project with allegations being made that when the actual road is barely 3 meters, a proposed road of 8 meters will bring down many a construction of the original dwellings of the 36-odd families that live in the largely agrarian neighbourhood of Palcuta-Orlim. This project will have 66 flats and a swimming pool. Villagers complain that they do not get proper water from the PWD and have to get tankers to solve their water woes. They also allege that the builder has been constructing in the paddy field and closed the pond in the low lying area, without getting the required permission under section 17A, but no action was taken. ** ** *Subject: Politicians warned not to support mega projects against people’s will * http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/Politicians-warned-not-to-support-mega-projects-against-people-rsquo-s-will/37134.html Politicians warned not to support mega projects against people’s will HERALD REPORTER Politicians warned not to support mega projects against people’s will HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 23 Expressing solidarity with Carmona villagers in their battle against the Raheja project, village groups from across Goa warned the political class not to push mega housing projects against the will of the people without taking the infrastructural requirements into considerations. Representatives of village groups and local villagers assembled near the Raheja property site Sunday evening and expressed their opposition to the housing project, saying the project would only outnumber the local populace. They raised apprehensions over the laying of a pipeline by the Mumbai-based builder inside the property connecting to River Sal, demanding clarification from the builder and the local panchayat whether the pipeline is meant to drain sewage or surface water. “We do not know whether the pipeline will drain monsoon water or sewage into the River Sal. This should be immediately clarified by the local Panchayat body and the PWD Minister”, demanded Carmona Panch member Orland Da Silva, who had recently come under attack from PWD Minister and local MLA Churchill Alemao for opposing the project. Referring to the assembly of local villagers and activists from across Goa at the site, Orlando conveyed a message loud and clear to the PWD Minister that the housing project is not only being opposed by the locals but by people across Goa. “Raheja had planned to build 700 apartments on the huge property at Carmona. If not for the opposition from the locals, the local populace would have been outnumbered by outsiders”, he said. The Panch member reiterated his stand that the property bought by Rahejas should be sub-divided into small plots and sold to the local. “I had supported a housing project in the very same property before Rahejas came in the picture because the property owners wanted to develop the property into small plots with preference for Goans”, he said. In her address, Colva Civic and Consumer Forum Convenor Judith Almeida accused the politicians for not being interested in the village development. “They are more interested in filling their pockets. They talk about development of buildings, but we want development of human beings. Is there enough infrastructure to host huge projects when there is no solution for the garbage and sewage disposal”, she asked. She conveyed a message to the politicians that they and their families will suffer for making the Goan people suffer for working against the local populace. Alemao’s statement that the Raheja project would create vacancies for watchmen did not go down well with the village groups, who demanded to know from the PWD Minister whether any of his relatives would work as a watchman. The village groups of Goa later visited Palkuta in Orlim village, where the local villagers have been waging a sustained battle against a mega housing project. Representatives of the village groups were shocked to see the violations, including the passing of two different construction plans.