HERALD REPORTERMARGAO, JULY 29 –
Strongly condemning police atrocities on innocent Benaulim villagers protesting against the nefarious housing projects, the Benaulim Villagers Action Committee has demanded total withdrawal of all the criminal cases filed against anti-mega housing activists of Benaulim and disclosed plans to approach the Judiciary to take the ongoing battle to the logical conclusion.
Terming the cases filed by the Colva police as baseless and with the sole intention to harass and terrorise the people to benefit the builders, BVAC strongly believed that the Colva police have an established nexus with the builders lobby and are working overnight in promoting the interests and illegalities of the real estate lobby “Goa police attached to Colva police station are speedily transforming themselves into goons in uniform”, the Committee maintained.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, BVAC Chairperson Geraldine Fernandes said Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes’ utterances that BVAC is aligned with the builders are motivated by personal revenge and only an attempt to malign the image of the committee and cover up her nexus with builders. Her colleague Rudolf Barreto said the Committee is only demanding withdrawal of the revocation order against a mega housing project, apprehending that the case will not stand in the court of law as the Panchayat did not follow the principles of natural justice by giving the builder a show cause notice before issuing the order. “We are surprised that the Panchayat did not issue a show cause notice on the builder before serving the revocation order. We are apprehensive that the case will not stand in the court of law’ That’s the reason, why the Committee is demanding withdrawal of the case before issuing a fresh show cause notice on the builder”, Barreto said.
Replying to a question, Geraldine denied that supporters of PWD Minister Churchill Alemao are members of the BVAC, adding that the movement is carried on by the villagers, irrespective of party affiliations. She has reiterated the demand for the resignation of the Sarpanch, saying Carmelina is not fit to occupy the august seat. BVAC Convenor Seby Fernandes said the Benaulim villagers are well within their rights and fundamental duties to oppose the mega projects, which are constructed in violation of approved construction plans and building regulations in force and in total disregard to the problems faced by the villagers due to shortage of basic amenities and infrastructure.
“The setbacks in these mega-projects have not been maintained as per the approved plans. The committee condemns the sins of omission and commission by the Panchayat to protect the errant builders. The mundkarial rights of the people residing on the land have not been respected. The Panchayat is indulging in willful shoddy communications so as to provide the builders with some escape route”, Seby said.
The press conference was also attended by GBA activists Pravin Sabnis and Soter D’Souza.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
RP first, then housing units: Benaulim meet
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JULY 25 –
A public meeting held by the anti-mega housing projects in Benaulim on Friday evening demanded a total ban on multi-dwelling housing units pending the finalization of the Regional Plan 2011 and have called for the resignation of village Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes for filing a “false” case against the activists.
The impressive public meeting – convened to condemn the arrests of the two activists – resolved that the Benaulim villagers would hence forth draw-up the village development plan taking into account the local requirements. The meeting also decided in one voice to bring all the agitating people across Goa under one banner to unitedly continue the battle, be it mega housing, mining etc.
In his address, Adv Radharao Gracias stressed on the need to spread the ongoing agitation across Goa, saying the issue is not restricted to just Benaulim or Colva, but across the state. He demanded that villagers should demand with the government to retain the character of the villages by reserving 90 per cent of the land for just ground-plus one structure and remaining 10 per cent for commercial use. There’s a need to build pressure on the government to ban multi-projects before finalization of the RP 2011”, he said. Saying that villagers are suffering as Sarpanchas and Panchas have become brokers and are in league with the builders, he called for a freeze on all construction before setting up of infrastructure such as water, roads, power etc.
Benaulim Villages Action Committee, Geraldine Fernandes said the people of Benaulim have been agitating peacefully against the anti-mega housing projects despite provocations and instigating by the elected representatives. Referring to the arrest of the two youngsters and the presence of riot gear police men at gram sabha and other meetings, Geraldine said “the people of Benaulim will not be cowed down by the intimidatory tactics of the police. We will not give up our demand for a ban on mega projects”.
Social activist, Ramesh Gauns said the ongoing movement is already a big success in Benaulim and expressed confidence that people’s power will finally prevail. He underlined the need to unite all the people fighting against ill-conceived plans and projects of the government by bringing all the people under one banner.
Goa Bachao Abhiyan activist, Praveen Sabnis said the government should first take up the development of Goa and Goans and nothing else. “For the people of Goa, development means education, water, roads, employment”, he said.
Benaulim ZP member Maria Rebello, Benny Fernandes, Terezinha also spoke. People from Colva also attended the meeting.
Both the arrested youth, who were released on bail, were prominently seated in the audience.
MARGAO, JULY 25 –
A public meeting held by the anti-mega housing projects in Benaulim on Friday evening demanded a total ban on multi-dwelling housing units pending the finalization of the Regional Plan 2011 and have called for the resignation of village Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes for filing a “false” case against the activists.
The impressive public meeting – convened to condemn the arrests of the two activists – resolved that the Benaulim villagers would hence forth draw-up the village development plan taking into account the local requirements. The meeting also decided in one voice to bring all the agitating people across Goa under one banner to unitedly continue the battle, be it mega housing, mining etc.
In his address, Adv Radharao Gracias stressed on the need to spread the ongoing agitation across Goa, saying the issue is not restricted to just Benaulim or Colva, but across the state. He demanded that villagers should demand with the government to retain the character of the villages by reserving 90 per cent of the land for just ground-plus one structure and remaining 10 per cent for commercial use. There’s a need to build pressure on the government to ban multi-projects before finalization of the RP 2011”, he said. Saying that villagers are suffering as Sarpanchas and Panchas have become brokers and are in league with the builders, he called for a freeze on all construction before setting up of infrastructure such as water, roads, power etc.
Benaulim Villages Action Committee, Geraldine Fernandes said the people of Benaulim have been agitating peacefully against the anti-mega housing projects despite provocations and instigating by the elected representatives. Referring to the arrest of the two youngsters and the presence of riot gear police men at gram sabha and other meetings, Geraldine said “the people of Benaulim will not be cowed down by the intimidatory tactics of the police. We will not give up our demand for a ban on mega projects”.
Social activist, Ramesh Gauns said the ongoing movement is already a big success in Benaulim and expressed confidence that people’s power will finally prevail. He underlined the need to unite all the people fighting against ill-conceived plans and projects of the government by bringing all the people under one banner.
Goa Bachao Abhiyan activist, Praveen Sabnis said the government should first take up the development of Goa and Goans and nothing else. “For the people of Goa, development means education, water, roads, employment”, he said.
Benaulim ZP member Maria Rebello, Benny Fernandes, Terezinha also spoke. People from Colva also attended the meeting.
Both the arrested youth, who were released on bail, were prominently seated in the audience.
Benaulim shuts shop over arrests
HERALD REPORTER
Anti-housing activists storm Colva police station
MARGAO, JULY 25 —
Anti-housing activists storm Colva police station
MARGAO, JULY 25 —
Incensed over the late night arrests of two of its members, anti-mega housing activists from Benaulim took to the streets on Friday morning, enforcing a bandh before marching to the Colva police station to demand the immediate release of the arrested persons. The activists demanded the immediate resignation of Benaulim Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes, holding her responsible for getting the two activists arrested on a false and baseless complaint.
Shops and business establishments in the heart of Benaulim downed their shutters in response to the bandh call to protest against the arrests of the youth based on a complaint from the Benaulim Sarpanch. Traffic, however, plied as normal.
Braving incessant heavy rains, the young and the old marched to the Colva police station from Maria hall junction, where the activists squatted on the main road near the police station in protest over the arrests.
Sub-divisional Magistrate, Margao Dipak Dessai and Sub-divisional Police Officer, DySP Umesh Gaonkar rushed to the Colva police station, even as the personnel of the India Reserve Battalion were deployed near the Benaulim Panchayat ghar and at the Maria hall junction as a precautionary measure.
Leaders of the Benaulim Villagers Action Committee led by Geraldine Fernandes had a meeting with SDM Desai and DySP Gaonkar, wherein they demanded to know the propriety of the police to arrest the two youngsters at the dead of night. While daring the police to place her under arrest since she too was present at the Benaulim Panchayat on July 23 along with other activists, Geraldine maintained that it was unfair on the part of the police to arrest Rosario and Henry while they have having dinner. “We are not criminals. The boys have not assaulted anyone. Why are we being treated as criminals”, she demanded to know.
DySP Gaunkar later told Geraldine to move for bail since the two persons were legally arrested. He, however, told her to submit an application stating the version of the activists of what transpired at the meeting in the Panchayat hall. Gauncar told Colva PI Edwin Colaco not to go to the houses of the wanted persons when they are willing to co-operate in the case.
Earlier in the morning, activists assembled at the Maria hall junction after news spread of the arrests of the two persons. The activists shouted slogans against the Sarpanch, calling her a Sarpanch working for the builders and called upon the villagers to launch an united battle against mega housing projects.
Benaulim Panchas Menino de Bandar and a lady Panch, besides Seby Fernandes addressed the people later around noon and called for unity to scrap the mega housing projects. “The Sarpanch ought to be with the people and not to arrest the village youth. Unite to save Benaulim for posterity”, they said.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Agitated villagers lay siege on Colva police station
26 Jul 2008, 0443 hrs IST,TNN
Some 500 Benaulim residents laid siege to Colva police station early on Friday demanding the release of two villagers who had been arrested late on Thursday night. On learning that the two activists who had been at the forefront of the anti-mega project agitation had spent the previous night in police custody, residents led by activists of Benaulim Villagers Action Committee (BVAC) blocked the road in front of the police station for well over three hours, even as shops and business establishments downed shutters.
The Colva police, acting on a complaint filed by Benaulim sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes on Wednesday evening, had arrested Rosario Fernandes and Henry alias Patrick Fernandes from their houses well past 10.30 pm on Thursday. They were arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code on charges of unlawful assembly and obstructing a public servant from discharging duties. The sarpanch had complained to the police that a large group of villagers had obstructed, manhandled, threatened and abused her, preventing her from executing her official duties. The incident occurred between 2.15 pm and 4.00 pm at the panchayat premises on Wednesday. Besides Rosario and Henry, the sarpanch named four others, besides 64 unnamed persons.
Protesting against "police excesses" based on what they termed a false and fabricated complaint by the sarpanch, villagers assembled in large numbers in front of the police station and BVAC leaders addressed the gathering, condemning the police action. SDPO Umesh Gaonkar, accompanied by Salcete SDM Dipak Desai, rushed to the spot and stopped the impromptu meeting. This further infuriated the villagers, resulting in chaos and commotion, upon which the police invited a delegation of villagers for talks. A large posse of policemen was deployed to maintain law and order.
The delegation, led by BVAC leader Geraldine Fernandes, pointed out to Gaonkar and Desai that the villagers were arrested without justification and on the basis of a flimsy complaint. "The move by the police to terrorise villagers by arresting our activists in the dead of the night is highly deplorable, more so when we have been conducting our agitation against mega projects in a peaceful manner," she said
Some 500 Benaulim residents laid siege to Colva police station early on Friday demanding the release of two villagers who had been arrested late on Thursday night. On learning that the two activists who had been at the forefront of the anti-mega project agitation had spent the previous night in police custody, residents led by activists of Benaulim Villagers Action Committee (BVAC) blocked the road in front of the police station for well over three hours, even as shops and business establishments downed shutters.
The Colva police, acting on a complaint filed by Benaulim sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes on Wednesday evening, had arrested Rosario Fernandes and Henry alias Patrick Fernandes from their houses well past 10.30 pm on Thursday. They were arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code on charges of unlawful assembly and obstructing a public servant from discharging duties. The sarpanch had complained to the police that a large group of villagers had obstructed, manhandled, threatened and abused her, preventing her from executing her official duties. The incident occurred between 2.15 pm and 4.00 pm at the panchayat premises on Wednesday. Besides Rosario and Henry, the sarpanch named four others, besides 64 unnamed persons.
Protesting against "police excesses" based on what they termed a false and fabricated complaint by the sarpanch, villagers assembled in large numbers in front of the police station and BVAC leaders addressed the gathering, condemning the police action. SDPO Umesh Gaonkar, accompanied by Salcete SDM Dipak Desai, rushed to the spot and stopped the impromptu meeting. This further infuriated the villagers, resulting in chaos and commotion, upon which the police invited a delegation of villagers for talks. A large posse of policemen was deployed to maintain law and order.
The delegation, led by BVAC leader Geraldine Fernandes, pointed out to Gaonkar and Desai that the villagers were arrested without justification and on the basis of a flimsy complaint. "The move by the police to terrorise villagers by arresting our activists in the dead of the night is highly deplorable, more so when we have been conducting our agitation against mega projects in a peaceful manner," she said
public meeting 0n 20 july
Benaulim meet urges Goans to oppose issues affecting State
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JULY 20 –
A public meeting held at Benaulim on Sunday called upon Goans to join hands and unitedly fight the battle on all major issues affecting Goa, be it mega housing project, mining, SEZ, tourism et al. Social activist, Ramesh Gauns cautioned that Goa would be doomed within five years if mining activities continues at the current pace. “If we don’t seriously think of mining, paradise Goa will be lost within the next five years. There will be water shortage even in Salcete in the next five years”, he warned.
He said no one, including the politicians, have any right or license to destroy Goa and called upon the people to unitedly carry on the battle.Complimenting Benaulim villagers for their fight against mega housing projects, Gauns said “you will be remembered by the posterity as the freedom fighters in the battle to save and protect your village’.
Women activist, Sabina Martins underlined the need for village level development planning in the interest of the people. “The Panchayat should find out the village resources and how much it ought to be exploited for the villagers”, she said added that the development planning will help keep a tab on social development, the impact of housing projects on society and resources. Saying that Chandor has led the way by undertaking village level planning, she said Benaulim village should follow suit to bring continuous pressure on the government. Giving a call to the people to come together and fight on all social issues, Martins referred to the government’s Amendment to the Town and Country Planning Act and vowed to oppose the same.
Benaulim Panch and noted tiatrist, Menino de Bandar assured the people that the opposition group in the Benaulim Panchayat would act as a watchdog on the functioning of the Panchayat. He said the Panchayat has the powers and the authority to stop mega housing projects right at the root and publicly declared his support to the ongoing agitation to save Benaulim from destruction.
In his welcome address, Benaulim Villagers Action Committee leader Seby Fernandes said that the village Sarpanch should support the cause of the villagers, and lamented that elections to the post of Benaulim Sarpanch was held under police protection. “What was the need to bring police to hold the polls. By doing so, they have murdered democracy’, he asserted.
Sorter D’Souza said the Panchayats are the Constitutional bodies and they should take the interest of the village and people in mind and not of Ministers and MLAs.He pointed out that the Panchayat should grant permission only after taking into account the infrastructural requirements. “Only after a study on availability of power, roads, water, recreational facilities, the Panchayat should give the permission. The TCP have no role to play”, he said. He further underlined the need to constitute the District Planning Committees.
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JULY 20 –
A public meeting held at Benaulim on Sunday called upon Goans to join hands and unitedly fight the battle on all major issues affecting Goa, be it mega housing project, mining, SEZ, tourism et al. Social activist, Ramesh Gauns cautioned that Goa would be doomed within five years if mining activities continues at the current pace. “If we don’t seriously think of mining, paradise Goa will be lost within the next five years. There will be water shortage even in Salcete in the next five years”, he warned.
He said no one, including the politicians, have any right or license to destroy Goa and called upon the people to unitedly carry on the battle.Complimenting Benaulim villagers for their fight against mega housing projects, Gauns said “you will be remembered by the posterity as the freedom fighters in the battle to save and protect your village’.
Women activist, Sabina Martins underlined the need for village level development planning in the interest of the people. “The Panchayat should find out the village resources and how much it ought to be exploited for the villagers”, she said added that the development planning will help keep a tab on social development, the impact of housing projects on society and resources. Saying that Chandor has led the way by undertaking village level planning, she said Benaulim village should follow suit to bring continuous pressure on the government. Giving a call to the people to come together and fight on all social issues, Martins referred to the government’s Amendment to the Town and Country Planning Act and vowed to oppose the same.
Benaulim Panch and noted tiatrist, Menino de Bandar assured the people that the opposition group in the Benaulim Panchayat would act as a watchdog on the functioning of the Panchayat. He said the Panchayat has the powers and the authority to stop mega housing projects right at the root and publicly declared his support to the ongoing agitation to save Benaulim from destruction.
In his welcome address, Benaulim Villagers Action Committee leader Seby Fernandes said that the village Sarpanch should support the cause of the villagers, and lamented that elections to the post of Benaulim Sarpanch was held under police protection. “What was the need to bring police to hold the polls. By doing so, they have murdered democracy’, he asserted.
Sorter D’Souza said the Panchayats are the Constitutional bodies and they should take the interest of the village and people in mind and not of Ministers and MLAs.He pointed out that the Panchayat should grant permission only after taking into account the infrastructural requirements. “Only after a study on availability of power, roads, water, recreational facilities, the Panchayat should give the permission. The TCP have no role to play”, he said. He further underlined the need to constitute the District Planning Committees.
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