Herald, 23 April 2008, p. 5. Hill-cutting activities to figure at Aldona Gram Sabha
Herald Correspondent PORVORIM, APRIL 22: The controversial hill-cutting activities at Carona-Aldona are expected to figure prominently at the Gram Sabha of Aldona panchayat on April 27. The Aldona Bachao Abhiyan (ABA) The Aldona Bachao Abhiyan (ABA) has been distributing leaflets and conducting street-corner meetings in the village to raise awareness about the adverse effects of construction projects which flout the law and are harmful for the village ecology and cultural heritage. In a press note, the ABA spokesperson, Dr Maria Aurora Couto, has called upon the villagers to participate in creating a development plan for providing employment, education, water supply, transportation, electricity, sanitation, promotion of agriculture, fisheries, agro-industries, small industries and computer-based services and training. "In this plan special consideration will be given to those below the poverty line, and members of SC and OBC communities," the press note stated. Dr Couto reiterated the need for sustainable development of Aldona and preventive measures to ensure that village assets are not destroyed, leading to irretrievable degradation of ecology and environment, which are the very foundation of life and livelihood. The ABA has alerted the authorities that projects in the pipeline should be strictly scrutinized according to the rules and regulations and has also suggested that loopholes regarding conversion of land and Floor Area Ratio should be eliminated. Meanwhile, the newly formed ABA Committee consists of Dr Maria Aurora Couto (Spokesperson), Milton Fernandes and Sainath Pednekar (Co-Convenors); Nandkumar Raikar (Treasurer); Charmaine de Souza (Secretary) and Mariette Correa, Marie D'Souza, Vidyadhar Gadgil and Benjamin D'Souza (members). -- Question everything -- Karl Marx