Former judge warns of electoral fallout if key Bills not passed
MARGAO
Ahead of the Goa Legislative Assembly session, retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Justice Ferdino Rebello has said that if the legislators fail to pass the Bills submitted by the 'Enough is Enough' movement, the people of Goa will take the next step to elect somebody in the 2027 Assembly election who will amend the law and bring Goa back to where it was before.
He said the movement is anxiously looking forward to the budget session to know whether the government will provide money for the carrying capacity study.
“We have asked the ruling and Opposition MLAs to pass the Bills in the upcoming Assembly session. If the law is not passed, we will take the course forward. We are going to the people to organise them," Justice Rebello said while delivering a lecture at Rosary College, Navelim, on Monday.
"The next step, the people will answer. The 2027 Assembly election is coming. Let us have somebody who will amend the law and bring Goa back to where it was before," the former judge asserted.
He later pointed out to the media that the 'Enough is Enough' movement is clear that it is the Legislature which can repeal the law. “We have presented a workable law based on existing laws to the ruling MLAs and all others. What would happen is for the Assembly to decide,” he said.
Justice Rebello, however, said that the movement is organising the people and strengthening the organisation by holding meetings in every taluka. “We have fixed a meeting on the 15th at Canacona. Similar meetings will be held in Ponda, Quepem and Mormugao. Our movement will go on till such time we find that these sections which are destroying the environment and ecology of Goa are withdrawn,” he said.
He added: “The only thing is that we want the participation of the people in the movement from every taluka and we want to know the reaction to what will happen in the Assembly. If the Assembly does not pass the Bills, we will discuss the pros and cons before chalking out the future course of action,” he warned.
Saying there are certain provisions in the Town and Country Planning Act which are causing destruction in Goa, Justice Rebello made specific mention of Sections 39A, 17-A and 17-2 as responsible for the destruction. “We have now given to the government and parties proposals to amend these sections and to reconsider all the permissions. If the Bills are passed, around 85 per cent of the problems facing Goa will be solved, our hills will no longer be cut, barring certain relaxations in public interest,” he said.
Referring to the Tenancy Act, Justice Rebello said the tenants became owners not to sell the land but to cultivate the fields, with a provision that if the fields are not cultivated, the land must go to the government. “But what we have seen is that people have been selling the land because of the nexus between contractor lobbies, politicians and willing bureaucrats,” he asserted.
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Lawyers to soon move HC against casinos in Mandovi
MARGAO: The retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Ferdino Rebello, has said a group of lawyers will soon file a petition in the High Court against casinos operating in the River Mandovi.
Saying the lawyers have agreed to represent the people in court without charging any fees, Justice Rebello said the petition will also draw the attention of the court to a new casino vessel, which has the capacity of the existing five casinos operating in the river.
“While we were conducting a study on the casinos, we have come across disturbing things. We will bring these things to the notice of the High Court,” he said.
