a report by Godfrey Gonsalves
A surprisingly high turnout of men, women and children gathered at the St Alex Church square Calangute on Sunday evening at 5.00 p,m to the call of the Calangute Front for Responsible Tourism (CFRT) whose convenor Anthony D Souza of Calangute painstakingly organized.
Geraldine Fernandes Chairperson of the Benaulim Citizens Action Committee appealed to the people of Goa to unite under one banner to save Goa. She stated that the Ganv Ghor Rakhan Manch was a forum to cover all villages in Go and that the collective efforts would stop the rampant destruction going on.
Adolphine Thamm an activist from Sinquerim highlighted the issue at Sinquerim plateu way back in 200 when the Taj Group of hotels intended to open up a three and a half lakh square meters recreation park with cine houses swimming pools and hundred houses. This was opposed tooth and nail until the Management took the Directorate of Panchayat to Court and pursued the matter for six long years. With the help of the Parish priest of Sinquerim Fr David Filinto the issues of sewage waste etc they pursued the matter with the authorities. It was an unfortunate experience for all Sinquerim residents that the historic fort would be declared out of bounds and eventually visitors would have to take passes to visit the Fort. How can the state permit such things when there is no sufficient power water supply and garbage strewn drown the hills or even sewage at their door step.
Pravin Sabnis sang a beautiful primer 'My Goa lies over the mountains , My Goa lies besides the sea, Bring back oh bring back my Goa to me to me'. He complimented the people of Chandor Mr Lincoln Fernandes and others who had brought out the Chandor Village Deelopment Plan and is now a basis for all other to follow. Recently Ms Vinita Coelho took time out and did the Moira Village Development Plan. He reminded the people that while Government does development to satiate its greed the people should make out one for their needs. To achieve this he said the Goans should have to put in place a moratorium of no fights with one another, visit the villages themselves and make an inventory of the things around the village and then have a development plan. Sabnis was shocked that a Minister for Panchayati Raj was taking an unconstitutional stand declaring that he would permit mega projects if Panchayats through the GramSabhas opposed them . This runs contrary to oath sworn by him to protect the Constitution. As the 73rd Constitutional amendment had in 1992 given full powers to village development plans and the gram sabhas. He warned the Police officials at Orlim that the people of Goa would take the law in their own hand if they continued to harass the peaceful agitators. (Referring to a large number of people from Orlim who had attended this meet
Ben Evangelist tiatrist from Benaulim wittingly spoke about his own social background that he came from the family of Kharvis and that during his youth he would see the Rampons along the beach now where stand the walls the starred hotels declared out of bounds for locals . The traditional fishermen went to trawler at 5 fanthoms into the sea and now the motor boats have replaced the purseiners along the beach. He quoted late Chirs Perry from Margao who had a love for Goa's tourism cradle Calangute and said he would roll in the grave to see Calngute destroyed and warned Goans to wake up and safeguard our lands. He blamed the Bhatcars of Goa (some of whom were on the crowd for selling the land to non goans and now partaking in such movements.
Shyamsunder Naik from Advalpal in Bicholim narrated how his village which was named as a jungle area was being destroyed. Mining had stopped in 2000 but the slag flowed from the pits from the mined earth (remember for every 1 part of ore there are threeParts of rejects. Now with the China demand for low grade ore. There are several leases being opened and the field have been destroyed.
Ramesh Gauns from Bicholim activist (Mining areas) reminded people that the Government was like the blind men who were feeling the elephant. They do not know what they are doing . He said the people of Calangute are affected by Assonora for it is from her that their water needs are met. He said that there are nearly seven water networks of which five are in the area of mining belt which is spread along 95 kms. There are 42 tributaries and four rivers and these will be saturated with over 610 leases oif mining being permitted. There are nearly 40, 000 traditional fishermen etc who would be affected with the saturation of water. There will be no tourism. (Incidentally the Carambolim lake has suddenly dried up baffling all )
Soter D Souza an activist on Panchayati Raj urged the people to demand a social audit on development during the last 20 years and the benefit to Goans. He asked the people to urge the government to carry out rural based housing industries etc iostead of mega projects.
Anthony Veronica Fernandes from Candolim recalled that he as an activist had always kept the interest of Goans in mind. He likened the Goan issue to Palestines who were fighting for their homeland. He said Candolim in the early 1970 started to be the hippies bastion. He had protested their presence because of drugs . Today they have come in a high profile life styles. He pledged full support for the agitation.
Fr Maverick Fernandes, Council for Social Justice and Action reminded the large gathering that article 21 of the Constitution not only safeguarded the right to life but also to decent living. Are we being permitted decent living ? he questioned.. He said that there was no need for the government to take action against the will of the people. He said the 73rd amendment had already allowed gram sabhas to decide what is best for the village. Hence if every Goan is concerned with the future of Goa and they love their children then they should spare some time to put in place village development plans. The issue of Free Port the issue of Regional Plan SEZ and several other movements Nylon 66, Meta strips, Konkan Railway and now the casinos were all agitations which were led as the Government actions were against the will of the people.
Rajan Korgaonkar from Baga was surprised to see how the development had changed. He stated that there was an occasion when there was a person from south who visited north Goa and was shocked that narrow by lanes drains lakes were destroyed. He could even not identify prominent landmarks. A number of foreigners who came to Goa in the early seventies were surprised at the changes and said this does not auger well for the Goans. We need to spare time for the future of Goa.
The following resolution were read by Anthony D Souza Convenor &passed with few additions
1) Freeze the sale of land and the approval of new projects until the necessary village development plans have been prepared with the active involvement of the villagers.
2) Information of all ongoing mega projects (including all correspondence) should be made available to the Gram Sabha. All objections by the Gramsabha should result in public inspection and immediate action.
3) All new building projects should have mandatory provisions for rainwater harvesting, garbage management, etc
4) The basic needs of water, electricity and other basic needs of the village must be addressed on an urgent and priority basis.
5) Traditional houses repaired/re-constructed in CRZ should be regularized.
6) Total ban on massage parlours. No combined ladies’ and gents parlours.
7) Ban on noise pollution should be strictly observed and necessary action taken on the violators to be imposed.
8) We will oppose all forms of irresponsible tourism based on sex and drugs.
9) Total support and solidarity is extended to the villagers fighting the mining menace
10) Goa does not need a single casino and government should cancel all casinos
The other highlights of the meet
a) the prayer song and dance was invoked by small children
b) there was skit showing how parents lured by the tourism activity neglected their children who were eventually weaned away to night clubs massage parlours drigs and prostitution. The act of the participants earned the cheers of the audience
c) Mr Herman Abreu of Raia who now lives in Sinquerim sang a beautiful composition of Bob Marlee --- urging Goans to stand up and act. The audience stood on its feet and then clapped and sang in unison at the beat.
d) Some of the posters on the walls were Responsible tourism, no noise pollution, no mobile towers in residential ares, Clean tourism, no garbage , no mega projects
Rape of Goa was presented by Rajan Parikar describing the destruction along the coastline from Polem to Patradevi.
It may be recalled that the tourism industry began with the arrival of the hippies in Candolim/ Calangute and now it seems it has turned full circle. There are more non Goans at every corner and to those who remember the nights of the Simla beat contests during the summer seasons they will need to do something to revive this. The ground swell is visible and the moment to strike is well nigh. This seems to be the underlining message meanwhile the elected representatives need to stand fore warned that they are being selected for ostracization in their villages if they act against the will of the people. The landowners are also warned that they would have to be cautious in their land dealings . Their insatiable greed for crores instead of lacs has been the cause of the sucess of the megsa projects and nongoan arrivals.
From the Calangute Church end by GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
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