Date: 17 September, 2011
To,
The Honourable Justice Shah Commission,
Secretariat,
Porvorim- Goa.
...
Sir,
The people of GOA believe that the mineral resources of GOA is the 'gift '
of GOD to GOA and Goans. They also believe that :
If the exploitation of these mineral resources do not benefit GOA and Goans
in any way, but on the contrary, if the massive and indiscriminate illegal
and legal exploitation of these vital resources of Goa brings unending pain
and suffering to them through massive and unimaginable 'dust pollution'
which has resulted in bringing the curse of 'TB' on the people, unbearable
noise pollution emanating from the 24-hour working of noisy mining machinery
and the un-ending line of overloaded ore transporting road vehicles, where
they cannot live a decent peaceful life in the most peaceful God-given
surroundings, drying out of their natural water resources, their well, to
make them dependent on the unfiltered and polluted water from the mining
pits supplied to them by the mine-owners as a favour, if their forests are
massively depleted endangering its wild life, forcing these creatures to
invade their villages and settlements to destroy their crops and whatever
livelihood they have, if their agricultural fields are silted beyond
cultivation from the mining rejects flowing down into their fields during
the heavy monsoons, if their roads and houses are covered with dust making
walking and living miserable,
THEN THE PEOPLE OF GOA DEMAND THAT THESE GOD-GIVEN MINERAL RESOURCES OF GOA
REMAIN BURIED AND UNTOUCHED WHETHER THE GOA GOVERNMENT OR THE CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT LIKES IT OR NOT.
Justice, Sir,
Heed must be taken that if GREED prevails over basic common sense, the
'powers that be' shall be ever so responsible in bringing this, OUR,
ordinarily peaceful GOA to a boiling point of no return.
Thank you,
Sd/-
(Floriano Lobo)
General Secretary
Goa Environment Action Group [GEAG]
Goemchea Rakhondarancho Awaz [GRA]
Goa Su-Raj Party [GSRP]
383A, Pirazona, Moira, Bardez-Goa - 403 507
Telephone: Off: (0832) 2470223; Mobile: 9890470896 / 9422060347
Report:
The above is one of the first to be handed-over to Justice Shah at the
Secretariat, Panjim, today.
To start with Juino D\'Souza demanded that the venue for this hearing be
changed to Kala Academy as it accommodated only aprox less than 100 seats
and the crowd was aprox more than 500. Even the press couldn\'t find a place
inside the hall. The next to speak was floriano lobo. He raised the question
of the report of the Karnataka Lokayukta incriminating Joaquim Alemao,
Vishwajeet Rane, Deshprabu, Dinar Tarkar and Digamber Kamat in the 800
crores mining scam and demanded to know the \'point of reference\' of this
enquiry. Justice Shah explained that the 800 scam report of the Karnataka
Lolkayukta will have to be taken up by the Goa government and his point of
reference was only to deal with illegal mining in Goa. Floriano lobo then
asked Justice as to how would the govt of Goa investigate itself, that it is
impossible for the police to police itself, that the govt of Goa was
responsible for the illegal mining as Mr. Digamber Kamat, as the mines
minister has not repeat not re-newed mining leases for almost 10 years while
encouraging the mine-owners to extratct the ore. Most of these leases have
not got clearances from the MOEFF etc but are in clandestine business. He
also raised the points made out in his letter to the Commission. The seats
in the hall were occupied by pro mining people well in advance, denying
place to the legitimate victims of the mining. There was no control as
people started shouting and screaming after the first two speakers. Mr.
Juino D\'Souza raised very relevant points: (1) that the website of mineral
foundation must declare all mining leases and their locations and their
ownerships. That all illegal mining leases should be closed etc.
Cheers
www.goasu-raj.org
