Re: [Goanet] Miramar beach is no place for another *samadhi* (Devika Sequeira, Herald)
The sentiments of the CM and some others may not be in keeping with the sentiments of people in Goa. In keeping with Parrikar’s memory, a thorough clean up of Miramar beach and all the beaches and areas which are filthy like Mapusa, Panjim would be welcome to the people at large. Bernice Pereira Sent from my iPhone > On 09-Apr-2019, at 12:16 PM, Goanet Reader wrote: > > Miramar beach is no place for another samadhi > > The urban beach falls in the no > development zone. A far better > tribute to Parrikar would be to > restore the entire stretch of > beach to its former pristine glory > > Devika Sequeira > devikaseque...@gmail.com > > A memorial for the late chief minister Manohar Parrikar is > proposed on Miramar beach, adjacent to the Dayanand Bandodkar > samadhi. The decision was the very first announcement made by > the new Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. No public feedback was > sought, nor was an opinion expressed by other members of the > current ruling co-operative -- among them Goa Forward and > independents -- though such a construction would be in > violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone laws. > > Already a large section of the beach at the site where the > late BJP leader was cremated has been sectioned off from > public view by a high wall of metal sheets. > >Parrikar is only the second chief minister after >Bandodkar to die in office. Unlike the BJP leader >who spent months battling cancer, Bandodkar's >life was cut short at the peak of his political >orbit by a sudden heart attack. Strangely, both >passed away at similar ages: Bandodkar at 62, >Parrikar at little over 63 years. There was an >outpouring of people from the remotest villages >in Goa for the Bandodkar funeral in August of >1973. Just three years later, the Bandodkar >family would be struck by another personal >tragedy when the MGP leader's son Siddarth died >from a gunshot injury. His cremation which also >attracted huge crowds took place at the family's >property at Dona Paula. > > Closer to the sea at Miramar, a small marble memorial was > built more than half a century ago in memory of Mulk Raj > Sachdev who died when he was lieutenant governor here in > 1964. > > A monument to Parrikar at Miramar might seem but a natural > postscript to his cremation there. The existence of another > samadhi also makes for a reasonable argument of precedent, > except that the structure dedicated to Bandodkar came up 45 > years ago, long before the Coastal Regulation Zone law came > to be conceived. In fact as recently as 2015 a move by the > city's municipal corporation to restore the decrepit > children's park on the beach was turned down because of the > prevailing CRZ rules. > > Miramar comes under CRZ III and the beach is a no > development zone. Those conversant with environment > regulations confirm this. "Structures are permitted > on the landward side of the road, but nothing on > the beach side," an environmentalist affirms. A > relevant clause permitting memorials is found only > in areas marked CRZ IV -- that is in the water. > That too, "in exceptional cases", the rules say, > "with adequate environmental safeguards". > > This clause is believed to have been tweaked by the union > environment ministry to specifically accommodate the > extravagant Rs 2,500 crore Shivaji statue which is to come up > in the sea off the coast of Mumbai near Nariman Point. Pegged > as the world's tallest statue, the project has already run > into a storm over major technical flaws and safety issues. > > Let me go back to 2001, when Manohar Parrikar was confronted > with one of his first big challenges as chief minister in his > first term. His move to set up a Miramar beach management > plan, seen as an attempt to privatize the urban beach, came > up against strong resistance from the city's residents. After > a lot of back and forth, the government appointed a one-man > committee to conduct a public hearing and weigh the plan > against citizens' objections. Though Parrikar was personally > keen on the project he graciously accepted the recommendation > of the Nandkumar M Kamat committee to reject the plan. > > "Miramar beach cannot be equated with any other beach in > Goa... People unequivocally consider Miramar beach as a > special case, a unique beach, so far left intact as a > valuable public asset, public commons unlike other beaches in > Goa which are already congested and commercialized. People > are vehemently opposed to any regulation or restriction on > access to the beach but welcome notified free access points > so as not to disturb the dune flora," the report said, adding > that "People would not support any constructions on the beach > side or landscaping on sand
[Goanet] Miramar beach is no place for another *samadhi* (Devika Sequeira, Herald)
Miramar beach is no place for another samadhi The urban beach falls in the no development zone. A far better tribute to Parrikar would be to restore the entire stretch of beach to its former pristine glory Devika Sequeira devikaseque...@gmail.com A memorial for the late chief minister Manohar Parrikar is proposed on Miramar beach, adjacent to the Dayanand Bandodkar samadhi. The decision was the very first announcement made by the new Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. No public feedback was sought, nor was an opinion expressed by other members of the current ruling co-operative -- among them Goa Forward and independents -- though such a construction would be in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone laws. Already a large section of the beach at the site where the late BJP leader was cremated has been sectioned off from public view by a high wall of metal sheets. Parrikar is only the second chief minister after Bandodkar to die in office. Unlike the BJP leader who spent months battling cancer, Bandodkar's life was cut short at the peak of his political orbit by a sudden heart attack. Strangely, both passed away at similar ages: Bandodkar at 62, Parrikar at little over 63 years. There was an outpouring of people from the remotest villages in Goa for the Bandodkar funeral in August of 1973. Just three years later, the Bandodkar family would be struck by another personal tragedy when the MGP leader's son Siddarth died from a gunshot injury. His cremation which also attracted huge crowds took place at the family's property at Dona Paula. Closer to the sea at Miramar, a small marble memorial was built more than half a century ago in memory of Mulk Raj Sachdev who died when he was lieutenant governor here in 1964. A monument to Parrikar at Miramar might seem but a natural postscript to his cremation there. The existence of another samadhi also makes for a reasonable argument of precedent, except that the structure dedicated to Bandodkar came up 45 years ago, long before the Coastal Regulation Zone law came to be conceived. In fact as recently as 2015 a move by the city's municipal corporation to restore the decrepit children's park on the beach was turned down because of the prevailing CRZ rules. Miramar comes under CRZ III and the beach is a no development zone. Those conversant with environment regulations confirm this. "Structures are permitted on the landward side of the road, but nothing on the beach side," an environmentalist affirms. A relevant clause permitting memorials is found only in areas marked CRZ IV -- that is in the water. That too, "in exceptional cases", the rules say, "with adequate environmental safeguards". This clause is believed to have been tweaked by the union environment ministry to specifically accommodate the extravagant Rs 2,500 crore Shivaji statue which is to come up in the sea off the coast of Mumbai near Nariman Point. Pegged as the world's tallest statue, the project has already run into a storm over major technical flaws and safety issues. Let me go back to 2001, when Manohar Parrikar was confronted with one of his first big challenges as chief minister in his first term. His move to set up a Miramar beach management plan, seen as an attempt to privatize the urban beach, came up against strong resistance from the city's residents. After a lot of back and forth, the government appointed a one-man committee to conduct a public hearing and weigh the plan against citizens' objections. Though Parrikar was personally keen on the project he graciously accepted the recommendation of the Nandkumar M Kamat committee to reject the plan. "Miramar beach cannot be equated with any other beach in Goa... People unequivocally consider Miramar beach as a special case, a unique beach, so far left intact as a valuable public asset, public commons unlike other beaches in Goa which are already congested and commercialized. People are vehemently opposed to any regulation or restriction on access to the beach but welcome notified free access points so as not to disturb the dune flora," the report said, adding that "People would not support any constructions on the beach side or landscaping on sand dunes or restricting fishing activity or promoting any water sports activity". So unusual was the concept of community participation in decision making that the committee even chose to dedicate the report to "the ecosystem, people of Goa, the fisherpeople in particular and to Shri Manohar Parrikar, the man who launched a novel and historic experiment in participatory governance through this exercise of non-statutory public hearing and set up a trend in India". To labour the point a bit, among the many voices to op
