the goan I network
MARGAO
Sounding a stern warning to the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government not to pass the Amendment Bill to the Town and Country Planning Act against the wishes of the people of Goa, Goencho Avaaz has threatened to drag the government to court if it goes ahead with the passage of the Bill seeking to introduce TDR rights and gazette changes to the Act.
The activists have also threatened to intensify the agitation to save the people of Goa and protect the future generations from the blind greed of a few if the government does not rethink its priorities and meet the demands of the people.
Addressing the media, Goencho Avaaz co-convenor Capt. Viriato Fernades said the people of Goa are shocked to see that despite widespread public outcry and protests, the government is rushing to push through the anti-Goa and pro-real estate amendments in the TCP Act for TDR, accommodation reservation and gazette changes.
“While the people of Goa have made it abundantly clear that we do not want or need any more real estate or concrete constructions and the regional plan must be corrected with public participation to save Goa, the government is going in the opposite direction towards destruction and mayhem. The people of Goa will resist all attempts of this government to destroy Goa and warns the elected representatives not to pass any such anti-Goa, anti-people amendments during the present Assembly session or else to face the people’s wrath,” he warned.
Goencho Avaaz co-convenor Swapnesh Sherlekar said Goans have to fight and stop the greedy and corrupt real estate plans of the government if Goa has to be saved.
“Goencho Avaaz, its associated organizations and concerned citizens call upon the government to scrap RP 21 and drop the amendments for TDR, accommodation reservation and gazette changes, failing which we will drag the government to the courts,” he warned.
Activist Abhijit Prabhudesai also charged the government for slyly attempting to reintroduce zone changes through the gazette.
“It is well known that the destruction of Goa by real estate speculation was first started through gazette changes to land use zones from the 1990s until 2005, when the then Governor of Goa ordered this illegal and corrupt practice to be stopped,” he said.
Abhijit said the attempt to reintroduce the illegal gazette changes exposes the evil intentions of the TCP Minister and this government to destroy Goa, Goem and Goemkarpon, only to benefit the greed of the real estate lobby and land speculators,” he added.
