OPA readies to fight DefExpo event with black flags

OPA also demanded to know whether the deputy Collector, Quepem will issue summons to the

Chief Minister and the Industries Minister for making the announcement that Naqueri­ Quittol land

will be used as a permanent venue for the DefExpo.

In the meantime, the Church­-backed Council for Social justice and Peace, Village Groups of

Goa and United Goans Foundation and other NGOs and activists have also given a call to the

people of Goa to join the agitation against the event.

OPA has also demanded that summons be issued to the Ministers

Addressing the media, Charles D’Silva pointed out that the deputy Collector, Quepem had issued

summons to the villagers on the plea that they are misguiding the people by saying that the

plateau will be permanently used as a DefExpo.

“The cat now is out of the bag with the government announcing on the floor of the House that the GIDC land will be permanently used for the DefExpo,” he said, while demanding that the deputy Collector now issue summons to the Ministers for making the statement.

Charles regretted that the government has embarked on a devious plan to divide the agitators into

Hindus and Catholics to sabotage the agitation, saying that people of Goa, irrespective of religion,

are supporting the ongoing agitation.

Convenor of the Council for Social Justice and Peace, Fr Savio Fernandes, said the government is

out to take over the Betul­ Naqueri land to make the DefExpo a permanent venue, even as he

appealed to the people to support the ongoing agitation.

OPA spokesman Freddy Fernandes said the people of Betul will intensify their agitation for four

days from March 28­-31 coinciding with the DefExpo, while appealing to all Goans to join the

agitation.

“We will show black flags and banners during the four-days all along the road and near

the DefExpo,” he said, while making an appeal to taxi operators not to ferry people to the

DefExpo venue during the four days.

Meanwhile, OPA president Precy Fernandes accused Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar for

giving false promises to the people of Betul­-Quittol, promising to return that acquired land to the

people.

“Parrikar not only forgot his promise, but now wants to make the land as a permanent

venue for the DefExpo,” she said.

Precy said that OPA leaders, who were served summons based on allegations of being threats to

peace and tranquility, will not get bullied, and have replied asking for copies of the allegations

made against them and pointing out factual flaws in the summons.

“OPA is fulfilling the

Constitutional duty of every Indian to defend our lands and environment, and to establish peace

and security in the world. In contrast, it is our Defence Minister who is hell­ bent on destroying the

country’s environment, grabbing our common lands, escalating the arms race, and selling

weapons that will kill thousands of innocent children and women, rather than building trust and

friendship with other countries,” she added.

She said it is now clear that the present government’s only wish is to sell the common lands and

resources to corporations or any others, thereby destroying Goa's identity, culture, economy and

environment permanently.

“Unless the people of Goa stand up and teach these greedy politicians

a lesson right now, we will be quickly reduced to a future worse than that of the landless

Palestinians, or the starving Somalians and Ethiopians,” she added.

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Cuncolim plant to treat DefExpo garbage?

THE GOAN NETWORK

MARGAO

Where will the garbage generated at the four­-day DefExpo finds its way from the Naqueri­-Betul Plateau, with the local panchayat bodies having no wherewithal to treat both bio-degradable and non­-biodegradable waste?

This question has come to the fore as the contractor, who has bagged the contract, is believed

to have knocked the doors of the Cuncolim Municipal Council for waste disposal. The contractor’s

proposal to the civic body, however, has kicked up a row, with councillor Ashok Phadte

demanding to know from the ruling body whether the Council can accept outside waste when the

plant set up at Cuncolim is designated to treat waste generated in the town.

“How can the CMC simply allow the contractor to dump the waste at the Cuncolim waste

treatment plant when the Council had in the past resolved not to accept any outside waste at the

plant?” wondered Phadte, and further pointed out that the waste treatment plant is presently lying in the dumps. He also questioned whether the waste treatment plant can treat the waste from the

DefExpo.

"We are not against the proposal. But, at the same time, it is a fact that the Council had then taken a resolution not to accept outside waste at the treatment plant when people staying near the Cuncolim Industrial estate had opposed the plant,” Phadte recalled, and claimed that when he had raised this and other issues at the Friday meeting of the Council, the ruling body did not give satisfactory replies, prompting him to stage a walk out

When The Goan contacted CMC vice-chairperson, Mario Moraes to shed light on this issue, he conceded that the civic body has received a proposal from the garbage contractor, but hastened to add that no decision has yet been taken by the civic body till date.

“We are yet to consider the proposal of accepting the DefExpo waste at our plant. The contractor had promised us to hand over only segregate waste. The Council will take a call on the issue,” he said, while asserting that the civic body will soon decide on the matter.