Orlim Meeting of Sunday, 19 October 2008

Press release by Kim Miranda
Co- Convenor & Spokes person, Orlim Gaum Rakhon Manch

Orlim Gaum Rakhon Manch first Public awareness meeting held on 19th Oct 2008

The meeting organized by OGRM had a good turn out of villagers from Orlim and neighbouring Fatrade Carmona and Benaulim also attending. Among the many present on the dais including Orlando D'silva from Carmona and Savia Viages from Carmona. The speakers came from the length and breadth of Goa. Including Gajanan Naik from Nerul, Prof Ramesh Gaus from Bicholim ,Fr Erimito Rebello from Sancaole .

The Meet started by 3 songs sung by Lizanne Rebello –Goyghem oslem dusrem na –lyrics and music Wilmax. Followed by another song by Saira Fernandes –Sobit Amchem Goyem –Lyrics Chris Perry. A trio then performed who took the 2nd prize earlier this season at the Kala Academy Goemchem Udergot Lyrics Ida Coutinho and Music Lusi Coutinho

The Convenor Mrs Ida Coutinho of Orlim Gaum Rakhon Manch welcomed the gathering and the speakers in her short address she briefed the people of what has been happening in the village of how roads were being acquired or widened where it was not required only to facilitate a few individuals and the builder lobby while villagers of Orlim from Batty ward have been requesting for a road for so many years the same was yet to see the light of day .
She said instead of the Government encouraging farming in the villages of Goa by introducing and encouraging the farmers to use news technology to grow more crops they are filling the paddy fields for roads and thus giving a boost to mega housing in the villages in the name of development.

Albertina Almeida – said In the good old days roads meant development now roads lead to Mega Projects as per the new TCP rule. Alvito Fernandes from Navodeem Citizens forum Colva –Compared the builder to a worm and requested the people of Orlim not to allow this worm to set in the village or it would then eat into the village completely transforming it forever as it was doing in Colva and Benaulim .

Maresl Pereira from Goa Velha said no outsider could come to Salcette to win an election but that will soon change. Fr Bismark mentioned that the age old system of protecting the water bodies the Communidade must be understood encouraged . Our villages can only take so much and no more our field's rivers ponds and open spaces need to be protected in order to keep Goa for the generations to come.

Gajanan Naik from Nerul said there are 189 panchayats in Goa and nearly all the villages were having a similar problem with wonton destruction of land either at the hands of the builder or miners and the Government is telling a different story and trying to fool the people.

Geraldine Fernandes Convenor GGRM said that let the people decide what the people want and then let the Government implement the same . She encouraged more youth and women to come out to fight like she had done for the cause of her village and Goa .

Soter d'souza from Peaceful Society said our freedom of speech has now begun to be restricted by the State and concerned authorities with them wanting to know who is going to speak and meetings and what is to be discussed and spoken. He quoted Somnath Chaterjee saying 'People who misuse Panchayat funds should be called anti National "

Ramesh Gawas spoke for a short while saying Goa in each village was seeing the second opinion poll and needed to wake up soon before is Goa going goan ….

Serifino Cotta said that having one individual from outside come a settle in Goa is not a problem but in a small or village if there is an influx of persons from another scio economic background and culture it will change the full dimension of the village .He cautioned landed people and others overseas donating properties to Individuals and Religious societies ,as these properties are then sold mostly to outsiders for a large profit .This is done in the name of building hospitals and Collages at the expense of the people of the village many of whom never see the light of day .


The concluding speech and vote of thanks was made by Shanty Fortes.

The Gaum Ghor Rakhon Manch had this meeting to make people aware of the problems they going to face with the onset of the builder lobby coming to the village. OGRM is all for development but not at the cost of the village .We want sustainable development that will help the farmer increase his crop the Dairy farmer increase his yield of milk production introducing new techniques, encourage those who's land is laying fallow to farm their lands.
This kind of development will enhance the village life bring prosperity keep the surrounding clean and green and encourage the tourist who surely comes to see a green Goa not a concrete jungle