MARGAO
The civil society and activists on Saturday said the government has brought the draft-Amendments to the Goa Land Development & Building Construction Regulations, 2010 to benefit the rich with no benefits whatsoever for the vast majority of Goans.
In fact, at an awareness programme held at the Grace Church hall on Saturday by the Goyche Fudle Pilge Khatir, the civil society said the time is ripe for the people of Goa to come on the streets and stop the government from going ahead with the amendments.
Environmentalist Claude Alvares said the Amendments are tailor-made for a certain category of people intending to set up yoga centre, golf courses, farmhouse on land admeasuring 500 square meters etc.
“Not a single Goan will benefit from these amendments. This is the reason why the people of Goa are bracing up for a major agitation, he said, while demanding to know whether anyone has heard any voice in support of the amendments.
Saying that the amendments are being pushed for the benefit of the rich, he said certain people want to come and take benefit of the environment created by Goemkars over the years.
“From the planning point of view as well as from the Land use view, the amendments are of no use for Goemkars. Goans should oppose the amendments tooth and nail by coming on the streets and ensure the government rejects the amendments,” he said.
He added: “First reject the amendments and discard them in the basket and then we can think of discussions.”
Asked whether the eight-member group of MLAs has defected into the BJP precisely to facilitate the passage of the controversial amendments, Claude said, “We don’t want to make any speculations, but all that we know is that the land use was badly distorted in favour of few individuals. Lots of committees were set up, reports submitted and new members have joined.”
Saying he has hope that the people of Goa would come out against the amendments, Claude said the present government is no longer for the people but is working for the very large and powerful, who have set their eyes on large tracks of land, running into lakhs of square metres.
Activist Abhijit Prabhudesai said the awareness programme has been held to educate the people on the amendments aimed at destroying the State.
He made a fervent plea to the people to assemble at the office of the Chief Town Planner on Monday at 10 am to lodge their protest at the amendments.
Chinchinim extraordinary gram sabha resolves to scrap amendment to Land Act
MARGAO: The extraordinary gram sabha of Chinchinim village panchayat on Saturday has resolved to scrap the amendment to the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulation 2010.
The gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Valentino Barretto has further resolved that the jetty policy 2022 should benefit the locals. The meeting further resolved to ask the government to take the local fishing community and stakeholders into confidence before passing the jetty policy 2022.
After the meeting, Sarpanch Valentino said the gram sabha has rejected the amendment to the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulation 2022.
