It’s time to crack the whip
Eusebio Carvalho
The news report on illegal constructions in Tivim appearing in Herald is really shocking, very sad and disturbing. Shocking, because the non-Goan migrants, without any fear of the law, are carrying out these illegal activities on Goan soil. It is also very sad and disturbing because it is alleged that our elected representatives are backing these illegal activities. Why our elected representatives can’t give their own lands to these non-Goan migrants to build their dwellings?
In the past these very same people’s representatives allegedly were behind such activities in many comunidades / government lands in Goa like Monte Hill and Torsanzor in Margao, Zuarinagar, New Vaddem, Headland-Sada-Jetty, Sacoale in Mormugao Taluka and in many other places in the State and now they are demanding to legalize these illegal houses.
The people have not elected them to do such illegalities breaking our laws which are against the Indian Constitution. Why our guardians of the Constitution do not step in time to stop all such illegalities and take immediate deserving action against those involved in usurping the lands.
How do the concerned government departments issue them light and water connections, occupancies, house numbers, collect taxes? Goans with valid and legal documents find it so difficult to get all these connections for which they are made to go from pillar to post and in the bargain they repent for having constructed their new legal house/buildings.
If our elected representatives right from Panchyat level to Parliament behave against the mandate and expectations of their constituents and detrimental to our “Apurbaechem Goem” then in near future the right minded Goan electorate will be forced and constrained to boycott and not to vote in any elections.
It is high time that all the elected representatives mend their ways on a war footing before it is too late and the Election Commission of India is duty bound to educate these Representatives and bring in more immediate voter friendly reforms in the Peoples Representation Act, 1953 and debar all the persons not only convicted but also with criminal background and moral turpitude from contesting any election permanently.
