======================================================================== Goa's phone numbers change from Nov 10, 2002. Prefix old number with a 2. New numbers will be seven-digit 2XXXXXX (where XXXXXX is the old number). ========================================================================
GOA'S VILLAGES SEE CONFLICTS, CORRUPTION OVER CONSTRUCTION RULES >From Frederick Noronha PANJIM, Nov 12: Goa's small and scenic villages are increasingly becoming conflict-zones over construction coming up in these areas, a new publication on the maze of local construction rules says. "Construction is one area in the village panchayat (elected bodies that govern life in local villages) which has generated much dispute and complaints before various authorities," says a just-released 28-page booklet. Titled 'Goa Village Panchayat: Construction Rules and Regulations', this publication has been compiled by veteran voluntary sector campaigner Kumar Kalanand Mani and activist Soter D'Souza. It is being distributed without charge by the Madkai-based community organisation Peaceful Society, with the aim of building greater awareness on this issue. Construction laws have become "a source for corrupt practices by some panchayat functionaries (elected village politicians) and harassment to the commonman," says the publication bluntly. It also admits that village self-government bodies (locally called 'panchayats' in Goa) have also been "dragged into litigation by some elements, just to cause harassment and delay the authorities from taking action against illegal constructions". Giving details, this slim booklet suggests that the laws in place may be actually causing hurdles for those wanting to set up bonafide constructions, a source for corruption among dubious village-politicians, and yet ineffective in tackling the root of the problem of land speculation-fuelled urbanisation of the scenic villages. "Sometimes, ignorance of the laws by panchayat functionaries and the commonman has led to a rise in illegal constructions. The commonman has sometimes been unecessarily made to run from pillar to post by some authorities -- either deliberately or sometimes due to ignorance of the rules," says the study. This, it concedes, leads to a loss of precious time or finances for both the citizen and village panchayat bodies. Carelessness on the part of panchayats has also given rise to several civic and health problems today, it adds. "Present building rules under the Panchayat Raj Act (which governs large rural areas of 3700-sq.km Goa) are inadequate. But the existing ones themselves have not been implemented wholeheartedly," says the study. Bureaucrats sit as appellate authorities -- with the powers to review panchayat decisions -- this giving "enough scope" for political interference. "Sometimes (this is) the cause of much frustration to persons campaigning against illegal constructions," it adds. This study argues that the existing laws -- if implemented properly -- could control the menace of building violations to a great extent. Collective initiatives from the public can help in "minimising harassment" to the commonman caused by authorities neglecting their duties. "Awareness of these laws would help the commonman to protect his rights and his environment," argues Mani. Officials here say Goa currently has 189 panchayats scattered across villages in the small state. In some cases, two or more smaller villages are combined to form a single panchayat. There are a total of 1439 (rpt 1439) elected village-level politicians (called 'panchas') in Goa. Government records say the panchayats undertake a range of activities -- building and repairing village paths and roads, planting trees, constructing schools, setting up drinking water wells, repairing culverts, and linking areas with footbridges. But figures available from the 1990s indicate that the total budget available to the village panchayats then was little over Rs 200,000 each -- a trivial sum in times when inflation has meant that the vgillage would need to be cared for with just the sum that just three to four average middle-class families would need for their annual maintenance. (ENDS) ******************************************************************** FOOTNOTE: For e-copies of this booklet, contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] with PANCHAYATCONSTRUCTION as the email subjectline. ---------------------------------------------------------- What's On In Goa (WOIG): Nov 06 Children's book exhibn opens, Walkabout, Anjuna... (all weekdays) Nov 06 ArtHouse, Calangute: Chaitali's acrylics on canvas till 19.11 Nov 07 Revision of electoral rolls (till Nov 30) See schedule. Nov 07 Creative science, for children, Goa Sc Centre (till 16.11) Nov 10 Corporate summit on IT and biotechnology, Intl Centre (till 11.11) Nov 17 Goan Engineers and Assoc meet, at Pickering, Canada. Nov 20 Fr Agnelo's 75th death anniversary, Pilar Dec 01 Two day conference, Goa Agenda. IT For Society. (Ends 2.12) Every Sunday: Music therapy sessions at Moira, 5 pm. 278, N.Portugal ----------------------------------------------------------
