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| | | | | Comments On News Reports | | | Seize the Day - Response
> ----- 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 withdrawn finds no takers in our Goan Press (at least the English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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