MARGAO
The Public hearing on CZMPs for South Goa, which was scheduled at 10.30 am on Sunday, finally got off an hour late at 11.30 am when the district Collector, South Surendra Naik appealed to the participants to give their suggestions to the plan.
While 86 speakers and 70 participants had registered for the public hearing, only 53 speakers and 42 participants entered the hall. None of them, however, spoke at the hearing.
The officials called up the names of two speakers, Francis Fernandes and Caroline Rodrigues, both from Vasvaddo-Benaulim to come and air their view. As the clock started ticking, and the participants given five minute time-limit to express their views, the duo stayed away from addressing the authorities.
The authorities then invited the third speaker Royla Fernandes, Benaulim, but she too declined to take the dais.
Calls were later made to Zarina Da Cunha and Pio Furtado, but they too refused to speak. Before the authorities could call the next speaker, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai made his presence felt inside the auditorium.
The process was halted for some minutes as the Goa Forward Chief attacked the government for trying to bulldoze its way. He warned the government officials that they would have to face the music after eight months, saying the BJP government will be ousted by then.
After Sardesai made his exit, the district Collector resumed the hearing at around 12.58 pm by calling out the names of the speakers, but no one responded to the calls as they went abegging.
The process was halted again when Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat entered inside the auditorium demanding scrapping of the hearing and sending the plans to the Panchayats.
