Save Goa

BAMBOLIM: At the age of 80, Dulu Andrade, can barely walk. But she is determined to fight for her family and home. Her house is in middle of a development project and if the builders lobby has its way then she, her children and grandchildren would be soon evicted from their home.

Welcome to a new Goa: where development matters but people don't. The builders lobby may be excited about development of Goa, but for Dulu development is a strategy of deceit. Her wells have been sealed, they have been cordoned off from going anywhere near the beach, her coconut palms have been cut and now she fears displacement.

Their agony started few months back when the powerful and influential people from Goa Real Estate and Construction Pvt. Ltd with the help of the local politicians and police started harassing them. When they fought back they were threatened and police sent to their house. "Do we have a voice? When we raise our voice, we are threatened and harassed," said Dulu.

When the irate villagers complain, the panch, whom they voted to power, refuses to acknowledge their woes. Complaints to the Curca Bambolim Panchayat have also not yielded any positive results. There is much hatred of the police, who the villagers allege are supporting the builders. And it is not without reason.

Kamal Pereira and her sister-in-law were alone at home when Subramanyam, Project Manager, Goan Hotels and Clubs Pvt. Ltd along with plain clothed policemen came to their house late in the night on December 8. Without a search warrant they searched the house. This despite the fact that there was no male member at home. Reason? According to Subramanyam, "few villagers had beaten up my worker and I received information that they had kept him locked in the house, so I had gone to the house with the police to check." It is another matter that they never found anyone in the house, except two scared women.

Further, SDM AAJ Fernandes on November 13, 2006 had passed an order to depute 7 male and 2 female police personnel at the site where work of Goa Real Estate and Construction Pvt. Ltd. is happening, as there is a possibility of a breach of law and order situation and disturbance of public peace and tranquility. This order was passed based on a complaint made by Director, Goa Real Estate and Construction Pvt. Ltd.

Talati A Lawrence said, "They didn't complain to me. They have given their complaints to the panchayat. I can't do anything, until they complain to me."

These ironies don't go unnoticed even by the members of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) who arrived at the spot yesterday after receiving a complaint from the villagers. "If these atrocities continue, then the whole village will burn down the project. You are going to face one of the biggest agitations Goa has ever seen," said a visibly agitated Dr Oscar Rebello, Convenor, GBA.

The builders of course have managed to show the papers. "Do you think that we will invest crores of rupees without having all the papers in place," questioned Subramanyam. They have got TCP clearance for various projects from 1993 to 1995. In other words, though they have no permission for hill cutting, they have been carrying on the work as they had got permission for the project much before the TCP Amendment of hill cutting came into existence in 1997. It is another matter that they are still cutting the hill and camouflaging it with green and yellow paints, to make it look as if the hill is still green with trees.

However, North Goa Additional Collector Swapnil Naik after inspecting the site along with an official from TCP and Member Secretary Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority ( GCZMA) in the afternoon, promised to issue a stay order.

For the villagers, the problem is much larger than an environmental or administrative problem. It is a fight for livelihood and habitat. The builder's lobby has survived many activists and politicians in Goa. But in the poor villagers of Bambolim, the lobby is finding tougher opponents. And with Save Goa Abhiyan extending support to them, the battle's just begun.


Mass Meeting on December 26


Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) has called for a mass meeting on December 26 at 4.30 pm at Bambolim to show how Goa has been destroyed in the name of development. They also intend to write to Shahrukh Khan, Margaret Alva, Sachin Tedulkar and many other rich and famous who have purchased plots in the village.
"They are equally a part of a larger conspiracy to dislocate Goans and destroy Goa," said Dr Oscar Rebello, Convenor, GBA. He added, the authorities have to act according to their conscience. Far more powerful than politicians are the people of Goa.

"Goan homes are being destroyed to build holiday homes for the rich and the famous," added activist Patricia Pinto.


Construction Stayed
In a late night development, North Goa Additional Collector Swapnil Naik issued a stay order against illegal construction/ development work carried out in survey number 12/1 and 99 by violating the CRZ guidelines and for violating section 17 (2) of Town and Country Plan Act by indulging in large scale hill cutting in survey no 95/1 and 96/12 of Bambolim village. Additional Collector has ordered to stop the above construction with immediate effect, until further orders.

In an order, the Additional Collector said, "At the time of inspection by the undersigned and Member Secretary GCZMA it was noticed that construction/destruction were carried out putting fencing, cutting and uprooting trees and clearing the area. Therefore, the MS GCZMA has directed the undersigned to ascertain the CRZ clearance and maintain status quo of pending inquiry. The party has not been able to produce any clearance from CRZ authority."

In another order, the Additional Collector noted, "…it was seen that construction/development work were carried out by cutting the hill using heavy machines and constructing roads/ buildings. The party has also not been able to produce any clearance from TCP department for hill cutting and whereas, the mater was also discussed during the meeting with Chief Secretary in his conference hall at the Secretariat, wherein the Chief Secretary has directed the undersigned to stop construction, pending inquiry."