ANJUNA: “Had I closed my shop today, I would have had to bear my loss. Should I suffer for those who are supporting the corrupt?” said an owner of a fruit juice Centre in Anjuna
This sentiment summed up the mood amongst locals, who were hit with a call from the panchayat to keep their establishments shut, in response to its so-called call for an “all day Anjuna Bandh” supposedly called by the Anjuna Panchayat to protest against the High Court decision sealing 175 illegal structures.
Most locals from Anjuna who have been fighting against noise pollution in the village and other locals in business vehemently opposed this bandh call. The message was clear from the majority of the locals to those who gave the bandh call- ‘Don’t fire from our shoulders, to oppose a High Court decision’.
Meanwhile, no member of the Anjuna Panchayat responded to any call right through the day to ascertain who gave the call for the bandh nor could any member be seen near the meeting held late in the morning at the Anjuna Starco junction. The meeting was scheduled to start at 10 am.
The so-called “all-day bandh” met with a lukewarm response with shops leased out to others remaining closed till the afternoon and life slowly returning to normal as the sun prepared to set.
“When we should be celebrating the High Court judgment, people have decided to call for a bandh. When we were protesting against the noise pollution created by many of these illegal structures, the panchayat was silent. These are bad days for the generation next,” shot back Janie Crasto from Vagator.
Most eateries run by locals were open through the day with some even questioning the reasoning for the call. “First they give permission by flouting all rules for the greed of money and now that they are caught by the High Court, they want me to suffer by losing my business,” fumes a manager of a restaurant doing brisk business.
With no service affecting tourists in the area locals who went about doing their daily chores were amused by how “people who benefited through illegal structures are trying to justify their wrong by trying to soil the clean.”
“I deal with perishable items. Had I closed my shop today, I would have had to bear my loss. Should I suffer for those who are supporting the corrupt?” asked the owner of a fruit juice centre.
“We have had a candlelight procession, two meetings with our MLA and despite assurances from the MLA and the Police Inspector of the village, these structures ordered to be sealed continued with their noise pollution right through the night,” said Lumen whilst expressing happiness on the High Court judgment.
“We were saved by the High Court during Sunburn and with this judgment whatever little is left of our place, we can reclaim back. Yet, some people are upset and that pains because it shows the direction our village has taken today,” lamented a shopper.
Over forty individuals attended a meeting addressed by Gajanan Tilve, Yogesh alias Mogambo of taxi drivers fame, Rohan Naik and Carlos Fernandes, four individuals who had through a press conference on Sunday, disclosed plans for the bandh.
Is the panchayat bending over backwards to support “outside” businesses?
One strong view in the village is that the panchayat is toeing the line of outsiders running most of these 175 structures, many even breaching the noise pollution rules of the Supreme Court.
“I have written four letters to CRZ requesting the demolition of illegal places, yet there is no reply. I do agree that places taken on rent by outsiders are built beyond permissible limits,” admits four-time panch member Surendra Govekar whilst displaying the emails.
“I have told the people to get together where illegalities are being built and to stop them forthwith, but they do not come forward. If we stopped illegalities unitedly, no outsider would come and behave the way they are behaving,” argued Govekar who himself was once shot at for protesting against illegalities.
“The locals who are affected by the High Court order should fight the case on grounds of sons of the soil with the sea being our master and the authorities should have guided them to go in for temporary structures,” thinks businessman Michael.
“I am happy with the order because for months we have been protesting about loud music being played every day beyond the stipulated time. With these places sealed, now we will be able to sleep. Hopefully,” says Astrid, one of the campaigners against noise pollution in the village.
Former Anjuna sarpanch Savio Almeida asked to comment on this, said, “No comments.”
