Stating that the very constitution of the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) was unwarranted, deviously conceived, draconian and is akin to a declaration of all out war on the ecology and the people of Goa by its own government, Fr Eremito Rebello asked, “How can the TCP minister justify and accept the concept of the IPB, which equips its other departments with powers to override and destroy the very essence and concept of the Regional Plan?” Fr Rebello is a member of Goans for Sustainable Development.
Contenting that the TCP minister must be aware that all activities and projects must conform and comply with the scientific planning and guidelines imposed by Regional Plan, Rony Dias, another GFSD member, said, “Therefore, it defies all logic, reasoning, comprehension and norms of legality when the Regional Plan is compelled to fit into the IPB instead of the other way around, solely to fulfil the interests of corporates and favoured industrialists, regardless of the fragility of the zone and the potential destructive impact on Goa’s people, traditional communities, ecology and long term food and water security.”
“How is this very unacceptably ad hoc process different from the one followed at the time of the contentious and rejected Regional Plan presided over by Babush Monseratte as TCP minister? Why is the government not accepting the factual reality that the State is made up of agricultural, fishing, tribal, tenant and various other traditional communities who are also sons and daughters of Goa and therefore legitimate stakeholders in the Regional Plan,” asked Sidharth Karapurkar, another GFSD member.
“Their interests also must be safeguarded and protected instead of being sacrificed at the altar of greed and vested interests. Why is this government focusing so strongly upon giving legality and sanction of law to crass and unjustifiable illegalities in all spheres of its governance?” asked Ramkrishna Jalmi.
