[Goanet] SANTA CRUZ CONSTITUENCY CITIZENS COMMITTEE VICTORY RALLY
-- | Wishing all Goanetters | | a Prosperous | | and | | Happy New Year - 2006 | |Goanet - http://www.goanet.org | -- A motorcade rally was held this Sunday afternoon since 1530hrs vending its way through the constituency of Ms Victoria Fernandes MLA Santa Cruz, Deputy Speaker Goa Legislative Assembly by the Santa Cruz Citizens Action Committee to congratulate Ms Fernandes and all those who fought relentless to remove the revenue villages from the PDAs of Panaji and Mapusa Planning areas. It may be recalled that following a two month rally which included a Jail Bharo Andolan two morchas held in Panaji the citizens of Goa opposed tooth and nail inclusion of revenue villages in the planning areas. It was felt that with the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments empowering the village panchayats and municipalities the Government could not usurp powers given to the people and impose upon them developmental activities by covering such areas under the Planning Development Authorities. Incidentally though Ms Fernandes belongs to the ruling Congress coalition in the State it was a unique tussle in the sense that Ms Fernandes had to fight against the adamancy of her own government and this she did by seeking the blessings of Ms Sonia Gandhi Chairperson United Progressive Alliance and Mr Ahmed Patel the political advisor of the Party President Ms Gandhi. Having her assurance it was left Chief Minister to do the needful and accordingly the notification dated 3.1.2006 was issued repealing 24 revenue villages leaving only Chicalim, Chicolna Dabolim Sancoale Issorcim under the Vasco da Gama Planning area PDA headed by Mr Karl Vaz MLA Mormugao Assembly Constituency and revenue village Taleigao te fiefdom of Town & Country Planning Minister Mr Atnasio Babush Monserate who is also the MLA of Taleigao. It may be noted that Mr Monseratte also controls the Village Panchayat at Taleigao. Reacting to the query as to the reason why some revenue villages as above were not excluded Ms Fernandes felt that it was for the respective Villaga Panchayats concerned to move resolutions to that effect and hand them over to the Chief Minister. This is because the CM had clearly stated that unless the resolutions come from the respective village Panchayats he would not withdraw the same. Meanwhile though the issue has now been set at rest, Ms Victoria responding to the long drawn celebrations assured the voters that she would always stand by the wishes of the people come what may irrespective of the political dictates. She bluntly stated that for her the peoples aspiration comes first and then political compulsions. It is now gathered that some citizens groups are also intending to felicitate her on here bold achievement and her valiant struggle. Among those present on the specially arranged vehicle for the long morcha Ms Jyoti Palyekar ex Sarpanch Merces, Mr Chandrakant Kuncolienkar of Merces Mr Agnelo Oliveira Chairman of the Santacruz Constituency Citizens Committee, and other supporters who came on their own two and three wheelers and participated in the entire procession which wound up at 2030 hrs. Side lights of the celebration despite her age over 70 years Ms Fernandes reponded to the the cheers of her voters in the scorching afternoon post siesta session unfazed; as the people of her constituency awoke to the song of CONGRATULATIONS they came running on the streets and waiwed the convoy which Ms Fernandes and others responded too; some of the narrow lanes provide anxious moments for the vehicles to take a detour; it was a pitiable sight to see that plastics and garbage were strewn all over and garbage flowing around unattended was a menance; cattle was seen eating the plastic garbage in almost most parts of the constituency; at Indira nagar chimbel which is akin to asias biggest slums it was a pity to see children who outnumbered the adults they were treated to sweets while the women folk mainly migrants cheered the convoy; Ms Fernandes was profusely garlanded at Chimbel and other places Revellers smeare all those atop the specially decorated vehicle with "gulal" vermillion powder; It was a sad site to see a hill being razed to the ground to make way for construction at Banda; >From the response Ms Fernandes got at all corners it was clear that women admired her the most; Santa Cruz village has a great influx of migrant labour and some of them stay in humble dwelling reminiscent of a chawl in unhygienic surroundings; being a suburb town of the capital city of Panaji one can be sure that the demographic composition of thi
[Goanet] SANTA CRUZ CONSTITUENCY CITIZENS COMMITTEE VICTORY RALLY
--- | New on Goanet's website's A&E section - http://www.goanet.org | | Book in Review: A Kind of Absence - Joao da Veiga Coutinho| | POEM: SUSEGAAD - Cynthia Gomes James| | http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=216 | --- FROM HERALD DATED 16TH JANUARY 2006 HERALD CORRESPONDENT MERCES, JAN 15 - Around 200 villagers from St Cruz constituency participated in a motor-rally organized by St Cruz Constituency Action Citizens Committee (SCCACC) and St Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes to thank the people of Santa Cruz, Merces and Chimbel for their support in the anti-PDA agitation. The rally, which started at the residence of St Cruz MLA covered the villages of Santa Cruz, Merces and ultimately culminated at Chimbel. Announcements were made on the loudspeakers thanking the people for their active participation in the agitation and helping to throw the P(I)DA out of the villages. SCCACC vice-chairman Mariano Araujo, while speaking to this correspondent, said that without the peoples participation it would not have been possible to achieve the desired result and the committee is deeply indebted to them. However, when this correspondent pointed that there are still some villages, which have not been excluded from the PDA, he said that only those panchayats, which passed resolutions in the gram sabha demanding exclusion from the PDA were excluded. When Victoria Fernandes was questioned whether these panchayats could still be excluded, she said that first they would have to pass a gram sabha resolution and hand it over to the chief minister. She further said that she took up the issue of only those panchayats, which passed resolutions opposing inclusion in the PDA. South Goa Public Interest Action Group Godfrey Gonsalves, Merces ex-sarpanch Jyoti Palekar, Chimbel sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar, Chimbel panch Vasudeo Lawande and others participated END - 200 is a very poor show of strength. In no way is it enough for the political resuscitation of Victoria. And if the rally was to congratulate and thank the MLA is it not odd that it should have started at her residence instead of culminating there. Sign of the times. Maybe Santa Cruz like many other Assembly constituencies in Goa needs someone younger, dynamic and with a vision that can deliver. Aires Rodrigues ___ To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre. http://uk.security.yahoo.com
Re: [Goanet] SANTA CRUZ CONSTITUENCY CITIZENS COMMITTEE VICTORY RALLY
--- | New on Goanet's website's A&E section - http://www.goanet.org | | Book in Review: A Kind of Absence - João da Veiga Coutinho| | POEM: SUSEGAAD - Cynthia Gomes James| | http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid!6 | --- On 15/01/06, godfrey gonsalves <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > A motorcade rally was held this Sunday afternoon since > 1530hrs vending its way through the constituency of Ms > Victoria Fernandes MLA Santa Cruz, Deputy Speaker Goa > Legislative Assembly by the Santa Cruz Citizens Action > Committee to congratulate Ms Fernandes and all those > who fought relentless to remove the revenue villages > from the PDAs of Panaji and Mapusa Planning areas. ... RESPONSE: Seems to me the majority of the people are with Madam Victoria Fernandes. Goans should now take note of what has been achieved and look for similar uptakes by more MLA's ? If I am wrong about Victoria please correct me! Are you reading this Sehnor Aires Rod?