Dear Gaspar, On Sunday 15 May 2005 3:40 pm, Gaspar Almeida on [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 17:35:57 -0400 > From: "Goa-World.Com <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: goanet@goanet.org > Subject: [Goanet] A one man crusade by Mario Mascarehans for > Salmona ! > AlmeidaG(ji) > http://www.goa-world.com Thanks for your concern and suggestions on how local Saligaokars should be handling the struggle to save the Salmona Spring. We have been working along those lines from the start. If anything else strikes you we would welcome new strategies. But just for the record: * The struggle is led by local Salmona Pariyavaran Manch which represents the entire community around the Salmona Spring. Arun Sawant is its convenor. * The Saligao Civic & Consumer Cell (to which we belong) is actively supporting, but *not* leading the struggle. * The struggle has the backing of the entire village except for 8 people - 7 (out of 9) panchas and the builder himself! No one in the village wants the Salmona Spring destroyed by construction there. All may not come out on a morcha or dharna but they are definitely against the present destruction. * At one point, over 200 residents of Salmona and the rest of Saligao held a peaceful dharna at the construction site, took it over and stopped the work temporarily. * Over a 100 local Salmona residents signed a complaint to various authorities about the construction blocking their traditional pathway to the Spring. * 1089 residents of Saligao signed a petition to the Governor demanding that the Salmona Spring area be preserved as a Conservation Zone to protect the local biodiversity there and to maintain it as the world-famous bird sanctuary that it has become (see next message for text of petition). * Our local MLA, Dr. Wilfred De Souza is very involved and is taking a keen, daily interest in the issue. In fact it was he who signed the file for acquisition when he was the Tourism Minister for that short period between the recent fall of governments. To help expedite the matter he urged the usage of Section 17/4 (Urgency clause) of the Land Acquisition Act. * But being a people's movement, a multi-pronged approach is being used without putting all our eggs in one basket. * Many people around Goa and expats around the world are involved in the struggle in various ways. * Except for these personal posts on some Goa-related listservs, most of the struggle is not visible in cyberspace. But for a feel of wider involvement, local, freelance journalist Frederick Noronha's Swiki on the issue can be accessed at: http://salmonafountain.swiki.net * Even though ours may be the only names in cyberspace reporting on the issue, a struggle of this magnitude can never be led and won by "A one man crusade by Mario Mascarehans for Salmona!", as you put it. We are but a very tiny part of the entire campaign. There are many others who are part of the effort to save the Salmona Spring. Their time, effort, personal resources and infinite sacrifice should not go unrecognised for want of visibility in cyberspace. In solidarity with and in salutation of *all* those who are part of the struggle to save the Salmona Spring. Muriel & Mario. -- .................................................... muriel & mario, 4/4 tabravaddo, opp. st. anne's chapel, saligao. bardez. goa. 403511. tel: 0832-2278276 / 2409999 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
