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.