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| | | | | Comments On News Reports | | | Seize the Day
----- Original Message -----
From: "goasuraj"
To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!"
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 9:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Seize the Day!
>A very interesting and a thought provoking post.
> I must congratulate VG for that.
>
> I have already gone on record to say (in reference to the management of the
> Mapusa Municipal Market and the city of Mapusa itself) that if the elected
> representatives of the Municipality do not seem to be applying their minds
> to the problems experienced by the Mapusa market (it getting from bad to
> worse) then there is no need for the people to line up in queues to elect
> them. Send them home and take over the management of the Market and run it
> for some time to show what can be done and cannot be done. That is the
> people's power in a democracy. I have also said (with respect to Acron's
> Moira Project of 15 bungalows costing 2.2 crores each) that Representative
> Democracy ENDS the day the election results are declared. It is sad to say
> the an elaborate REPORT on the Moira Gram Sabha on the above Acron Project
> where the file has been asked to be withdrawn finds no takers in our Goan
> Press (at least the English Newspapers). It seems that the 4th Estate is
> promoting 'Selective Democracy' in the sense that if one is politically
> oriented (ex. self), the message sent to you by blanking out the report
> totally and completely is that "we do not like your type of Democracy - but
> we like the Democracy promoted by ..............) This is exactly what is
> happening to Moira and Aldona (both sister villages with a common problem).
>
> First off:
> 1. Each and every development plan (except a solitary residential house)
> must have a contour plan.
> 2. Permission to develop stops if the gradient is 20 degrees and more. This
> the the TCP regulation.
> 3. Those wanting to develop their gradient oriented properties (which they
> have a birth right to) or properties in CRZ areas which cannot be developed,
> the system to follow is 'TDR' which is nothing but Transfer of Development
> Rights. This has been actually suggested by Miguel Braganza and is the
> onliest concept to protect all sensitive properties against the vagaries of
> development rush. In the TDR concept, the owner sells his FAR to anyone who
> wants it anywhere in Goa. All that the TCP has to do is to set up Very High,
> High, Medium/ Low and Very Low Development Zones throughout Goa in the
> Regional Plan. Example Cities could be VeryHigh to High where tall buildings
> are allowed with the sky being the limit.. so on and so forth. One has to
> use one's imagination ( governments that is). In this case, the owners get
> what they want, Goa gets what needs to be protected and most importantly,
> the building lobby gets what they want. How's Zat for a SOLUTION TO OUR
> CHRONIC GOAN PROBLEM?
>
> Incidentally, the FARs will be on the market and those wanting what they
> want will purchase at whatever price they want to pay. Therefore, the
> property prices will stabilize with FARs being sold instead of whole
> properties. Can one identify a loser here?
>
> If no one does it, Goa Su-Raj will do it. But it wants the present
> government (especially the eminent RP-2021 TASK FORCE to do it and take the
> credit for it). The question is not about who gets the credit or whose name
> comes splashing in the Newspapers. The question is of a thing well done
> irrespective of who does it. Afterall somebody has to take the first step.
>
> BTW w.r.t. the above, the Acron's Panth development was question by me ( as
> is reported in my post on goanet on 4th April) where I went for an
> inspection of the site with a friend from Aldona who reported this massive
> digging to me. My visiting card (goasuraj) is with the site supervisor and
> Mr. Mihir Vardhan got a call from me from the site to send an inspection
> team since I saw massive hill cutting. I was also put on to the Manager
> (Britto?) who I assured that nothing will happen if his paperwork was in
> order. However, what I am not suggesting here is that I must get the credit
> for what is happening in Aldona. NO. The credit goes all the way to the
> Aldonkars... and we are proud of that......... and of Moidekars.... and
> Carmonkars.... and Siridaokars.... and Siolkars ............... and
> collectively of all us GOEMKARS. We are a different breed all together and
> we certainly can do things differently and with a huge difference, that is.
> This is the SPIRIT IN WHICH GOASURAJ IS WORKING because it does not see just
> Aldona or Moira or some selective spot as its concern. Its CONCERN IS
> GOA --- from Pednem to Canacona.
>
> I do hope that I have cleared things to some extent.
>
> In solidarity
>
> floriano
> goasuraj
>
> BTW Goa Su-Raj has sent its Suggestions and Objections through the PO Box
> indicated and also through email to the Task Force on RP-2021. We are yet to
> receive a simple ackowledgement. We have talked to Mr. Putturaj several
> times who has assured us that we shall be given the hearing by the Task
> Force. We have demanded it as Goa's registered Political Party. So far there
> has been no intimation. If, this party does not get the legitimate hearing
> with the Task Force, the Task Force itself and the Government of Goa will
> pay HELL. I have mentioned this to Mr. Datta Naik yesterday when we met for
> a private function. We want to discuss the 'TDR' concept with the Task
> Force and we are waiting................
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Vidyadhar Gadgil"
> To: "Goanet mails"
> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 10:18 PM
> Subject: [Goanet] Seize the Day!
>
>
>> Gomantak Times, 30 April 2008, Editorial
>>
>> Seize the Day!
>>
>> Aldona is the latest sign of democracy in action
>>
>> On Sunday the gram sabha of Aldona village passed a resolution
>> forcing the panchayat to withdraw all permissions granted to Acron
>> builders who have plans to construct six three-storey villas of
>> 293 square metres each at Carona in the village. The selling
>> priceof each apartment is Rs 1.75 crore, but that is another
>> issue. Although questions have been raised about the dates of the
>> permissions -- for example, the construction licence was granted
>> by the panchayat before the conversion sanad was issued -- the
>> present situation is that a builder who has all the permissions,
>> at least most of them, has stopped work because the people of the
>> village are not happy that a portion of land is being converted
>> into luxury houses for rich folks from outside the state. One of
>> the issues raised by those against the construction is that the
>> builder has no licence to cut the hill. This is perhaps the
>> serious charge levelled against the builder who claims that
>> excavation for the foundation has been misconstrued as hill
>> cutting. In the present instance, the will of the majority has
>> prevailed over rights of the builder and owner, resulting in a
>> triangle of interests -- the landowner wants to develop his land
>> and make some money (nothing wrong in that), the peopl of Aldona
>> want to preserve the pristine beauty and environment of the
>> village and the builder sees a huge potential in the land for
>> generating huge profits
>>
>> The question: How does one resolve this contentious issue? Whose
>> interest should take precedence? Alternately, is there a middle
>> ground that can ensure good returns for the landowner, the builder
>> and the people? There are no easy answers. Firstly, it would be
>> wrong to view the Aldona issue in isolation. Whether we like it or
>> not, it is connected to the larger issue of over-development and
>> influx of migrants that Goa is still grappling with. If it were
>> just an issue of hill cutting, then a license from the Town and
>> Country Planning Department should settle the issue provided the
>> gradient is less than 25 per cent. We are afraid it is not that
>> simple. The larger issue concerns the meagre land resources in the
>> state and its judicious use. And who is the best person to
>> determine how land is used in Goa? Over the last decade or so,
>> politicians have proved to be the most unreliable custodians of
>> land. In fact, the government is the largest broker in in the
>> state. So with polticians having lost the trust of the people on
>> this count, the only option available is to seize power back from
>> them, at least on crucial issues.
>>
>> The on1y way out, as we see it, is by introducing down-top
>> planning process where people have a say in the future of their
>> village. The best way of preserving our way of life is by placing
>> certain vital elements in the hands of the community. In the
>> present three-tier political set-up this means major decisions
>> that are going to effect the village at large must be discussed,
>> debated and voted on by the gram sabha. This approach will put
>> curbs and landowners and builders in the short term. However, in
>> the long term all will stand to benefit. If builders believe that
>> they also have a stake in Goa then they should insist that their
>> plans be passed at a gram sabha. Goa is moving from and era of
>> over-development which was driven by vested interests to
>> controlled progress which is people friendly. The sooner this
>> happens, the better it will be for all.
>>
>> --
>> Question everything -- Karl Marx
>>
> |
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Goa Su-Raj Party has been in existence since 31/08/2000.
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