the goan I network
VASCO
Issues ranging from polluting industries and hazardous cargo to PDAs and other developmental plans came to the fore at the massive meeting organised by ‘Goencho Avaaz’ and other organisations in Vasco on Sunday even as eight MLAs were accused of amassing huge tracts of land in various parts of the State.
The meeting levelled allegations against Alina Saldanha, Mauvin Godinho, Milind Naik, Churchill Alemao, Clafacio Dias, Michael Lobo, Rohan Khaunte, Vijai Sardessai and ex-MLA Jeetendra Deshprabhu accusing them of amassing properties and trying to push it for settlement.
This is the second big meeting convened by Goencho Avaaz, the first being at Lohia Maidan a few months back. The meeting was attended by a huge crowd while a strong police force was present to take care of law and order.
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes, Mormugao Congress leader Sankalp Amonkar and Goa Pradesh Congress Mahila President Pratima Coutinho were also spotted among the huge crowd.
Coming down heavily against the MLAs, speaker after speaker alleged that there was a clandestine attempt to change the zoning of the land amassed by these politicians.
Speakers made use of power point presentations, skits, music and songs to depict various issues to the audience. Capt Viriato Fernandes, Manoj Parab, John Dsa , Roshan Mathias, Custodio D’Souza and Abhijeet Prabhudessai addressed issues to a thundering applause from the huge crowd after every session.
There were allegations that three MLAs from Mormugao had huge land in Goa and that they were now involved in changing zones to commercial. A MLA from Mormugao was also accused of having huge land in Bicholim and a huge pleatau in Pernem near Mopa which was partly put in settlement zone. They also accused a MLA of having a huge farmland at Benaulim and another Congress MLA of having land at Sarzora.
Allegations were also levelled against a BJP MLA from a beach belt of having commercial property and hotels in CRZ area. A minister from the South was accused of having huge property investment jointly with his wife and a fish trader.
Speaker Manoj Parab disclosed that there were several plots around Mopa airport site that were converted into settlement. Parab also said several builders had got together on a common platform to buy huge chunks of land and come up with mega projects that would create several issues for Goans in the future.
Abhijeet Prabhudessai said Goans were upset with the govt for destroying the State in the name of development. Prabhudessai also said that instead of listening to people the Govt had hastened the destruction of Goa.
Roshan Mathias while speaking at large on PDA said PDAs were made as earlier locals were not educated enough to develop villages but that was not the case today. Mathias said ODP cannot be changed and is locked for 10 years and requested people to say no to any more PDAs.
