MARGAO
People from South Goa submitted a memorandum to the South Goa district Collector, Ruchika Katyal, IAS to scrap the public hearing held on July 8 and make the decision public, failing which they have threatened to do within the Constitutional rights to defend their lands and people from what they called the aggression and violation of their fundamental rights.
In the memorandum, they have expressed their shock that the Constitution, laws and democratic traditions of the country are being ruthlessly smashed at the July 8 public hearing.
It was pointed out that the public hearing held on July 8 was without following any stature or law, saying they had received no response from the authorities when they had demanded to know the procedures adopted for the hearing.
They pointed out that the orders to hold the public hearing as a non-stop, start-to-finish basis is totally untenable in view of the fact that people cannot be expected to stay 24 hours inside the venue without going home or to work.
“Not a single person can stay for days together without any facilities for food, sleeping, rest, medical attention. Everyone has responsibilities on a daily basis that cannot be avoided and hence no one can be expected to stay through the night and day continuously for days at the venue,” the memorandum added.
Saying the public hearing was held without arranging dinner and snacks, the memorandum said the large number of people who managed to come for the hearing were shocked to see there were no arrangements for food or snacks at the venue.
“Even those who had personal transportation could not stay any longer, since they had to go home for dinner in view of the absence of any facilities for having dinner at or near the venue. The attempt to hold the public hearing without arranging any means for having dinner is a direct assault on the human rights and fundamental rights of the people of Goa,” it stated, adding that the public hearing was held without arranging transport.
The memorandum further stated that no replies were given during the public hearing, further stating that no replies were given on the points of order raised by the participants.
