EX-CJ STRESSES ON CARRYING CAPACITY STUDY
Participants at an impressive meeting called by Ghanv Bhavancho Ekvott at Chandor endorsing the 10-point charter of demands raised by Justice Ferdino Rebello.
MARGAO
Asserting that the Enough is Enough movement will walk the path of Satyagraha showed by the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi to protect Goa from destruction, retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Justice Ferdino Rebello on Saturday called for a stop to all mega housing projects till the carrying capacity study of the villages is conducted by the government.
Saying the movement will post the 10-point Charter of demands to all the 40 Members of the Goa Legislative Assembly from Monday, Justice Rebello made an impassioned plea to the people to protect their villages, saying the mega housing projects will alter the village demography, rendering locals as aliens in their homeland.
Addressing a meeting at Chandor organised by the Ghanv Bhavancho Ekvott on Saturday evening, Justice Rebello asserted that if the mighty British Raj succumbed to Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha, the time is not too far when the rulers in Goa will meet the same fate. “Our movement will be a peaceful movement. We don’t want our youth to go into jail and jeopardize their career. We will walk the path of satyagraha in support of the 10-point charter of demands”, he said, while requesting the people to brace up for an agitation.
Laying stress on carrying capacity study, he demanded that the Goa government conduct the carrying capacity study in the coming financial year by making budgetary provision. “Unless there is carrying capacity, no mega housing projects will be allowed in the villages”, he asserted.
Justice Rebello demanded an ordinance be passed or Bill introduced forthwith to repeal all amendments to the Town & Country Planning Act (Sections 17(2) and 39(A)) and any other cognate legislations which permit (i) change of zoning, (ii) change of user and/or (iii) increase in FAR in those cases where the roads have lesser width than what is required under the law; and an Ordinance to amend the Land Revenue Code, preventing sale of land to non-agriculturists and non-residents.
The meeting resoled that until the laws are repealed, all permissions granted to plots where amendments were applied must be kept on hold.
Development in villages, towns and cities should not be allowed without the Government carrying out a survey of the 'Carrying Capacity' in the village. People of Goa in cities, towns and villages are facing acute shortage of drinking water, which is a part of their fundamental right to life. The meeting reiterated that action must be taken against all persons/officers/architects/surveyors / engineers, who are party to or abetting the preparation and falsification of notes to help the applicant/developer/builder, contrary to ground facts or provisions of law in order to grant permissions. Immediate departmental action should be taken against them, including their suspension as these are clear instances of quid pro quo. Punishment in such cases should be dismissal from service with forfeiture of pension, the meeting resolved.
