the goan I network
MAPUSA
Censuring the decision of the sarpanchas and chairperson of Pernem to back any move of Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar just to remain in power, Aam Aadmi Party on Friday said the small State of Goa was getting caught in the web of unprincipled politics.
“Goa should be a shining example to others. What sort of politics is this? Did these sarpanchas take the people who voted them to power into confidence before making such statements?” asked Pradeep Amonkar of executive member of AAP.
AAP’s executive member, Pradeep Amonkar along with AAP convenor of North Goa, Sunil Signapurkar was addressing a news conference in Mapusa on Friday.
On Thursday, seven sarpanchas and the chairperson of Pernem Municipal Council gave tourism minister a go-ahead to align with any political party or group for the sake of development.
Amonkar said that in Goa, there were several parties following different ideologies. He said MGP works for the Bahujans, BJP follows Hindutva ideology while Congress worked to take everyone together.
“What message are these sarpanchas and the chairperson trying to send to the people of Goa. It they have no ideology or thinking. This is dirty politics and clearly indicates how future politics in Goa is shaping up,” he said.
He said present day politics did not care for the people and were interested only to promote themselves and AAP condemned such politics.
Questioning the stand taken by the sarpanchas and the chairperson, Sunil Signapurkar wondered whether there was any understanding between them and the minister.
“AAP wants to know what is the setting between the sarpanchas and Babu Azgaonkar,” Signapurkar questioned.
He said they should have taken the people of Pernem into confidence before making such irresponsible statements.
Labeling the stand taken by the sarpanchas as total shame for democracy, he exhorted the people of Pernem to come out and protest against the sarpanchas and the chairperson.
Old Goa Heritage Zone turned into garbage zone, says the party
PANAJI: Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday visited Old Goa Heritage precincts which had mounds of garbage emanating foul stench within 100 metres of the world heritage monuments. Pointing to the garbage problem in Old Goa, AAP stated that the heritage zone had been turned into a garbage zone.
The party stated that no government in the state had been successful in protecting heritage sites, and had caused irreparable damage to the state’s monuments.
Quoting that people who altered or destroyed works of art and our cultural heritage for profit were barbarians, AAP state convenor Elvis Gomes said that it was unfortunate that people with the least concern for heritage were allowed to deal with it.
“Goa has been destroyed by greed, which is now eating into heritage of the land. How much more damage will they cause?” asked Gomes.
He also took on the Government for having cheated Goans on the plans to develop Old Goa heritage site through a master plan. “Newspaper archives will show successive Governments talking about ‘Master plan for Old Goa’. But when it comes to actual implementation, they get fettered by real estate agents and builders who get priority,” he said.
Elaborating further, Gomes said that the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, and the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, were completely disregarded and even central government agencies such as the ASI and the National Monuments Authority had colluded with state officials to chew Old Goa and other Goan Heritage sites to their last bones.
“Why is the Regional Plan (RP) not clear on Old Goa and why have successive governments hesitated on demarcation of 100 metres and 300 metres exclusion zones around the protected monuments?” asked Gomes, displaying copies of RP 2021 related to Old Goa Heritage Site. He said that RP2021 was not in conformity with the requirements of the National Monuments Protection Authority and it was intentionally done to suit the real estate and builders that influence the government. He demanded that the Government should have a separate Authority for Old Goa and other heritage sites of Goa on the lines of Hampi Management Authority.
