MARGAO: Goans For Dabolim Only (GFDO) has criticized the government for going back on its election promise to scrap the Regional Plan 2021 (RP).
GFDO has urged the people to learn from the lessons of Chennai and closely monitor and question the actions of the BJP State government, which is brazenly relaxing norms for CRZ and eco-sensitive zones and granting environment clearances for projects, like Mopa airport and the Tiracol golf course, without any justification.
GFDO has accused the government of not taking the RP seriously and has claimed that opening the RP in December, which is the peak of Goa’s tourism season and the height of the state’s festive season, was a ploy of the government. GFDO also alleged that Mopa is central to the RP and that the group will support the petitions of other NGOs who have approached the courts.
Dominic Noronha of GFDO questioned if the government did not think that the people, through the gram sabhas, are not in a better position to decide what is best for their village than some officer sitting in an office miles away.
Expressing solidarity with Claude Alvares and Goa Foundation, GFDO said that the Parsekar government should explain why the NGO needed to be investigated.
“Did the government find concrete anomalies in its funding and functioning, which would demand an investigation? Or is it an unwritten policy of this government to create an atmosphere of intimidation and intolerance by harassing and browbeating into submission any NGO or citizen who ventures to question its actions? The people of Goa have many questions that need answers,” said Fr Eremito Rebello, GFDO convenor.
On the RP, GFDO said that the government seems to have conveniently forgotten that it was voted into power based on its 2012 election manifesto, which clearly stated that the “Regional Plan will be scrapped and a new one to be drawn up with people’s participation in a transparent manner”.
“This was later reinforced in the Governor’s address to the Assembly. Therefore, it is unacceptable for the government to propagate and declare its intention to notify the same RP which it so vehemently opposed and attacked during the Digambar Kamat-led Congress dispensation,” said Jose Maria Miranda, GFDO member.
He also questioned why the State government, instead of recovering the mining loot that runs into crores of rupees, was wasting its energy by unnecessarily attacking Alvares.
GFDO added that since the BJP government has decided to make a u-turn and go against the manifesto based upon which it was elected, it is morally obliged to resign and seek a fresh mandate from the people of Goa based upon its new-found adherence to the RP, which it had strongly rejected before the 2012 elections.
“In the past three-and-a-half years of its rule in Goa, the earlier Parrikar- and present Parsekar-led governments have clearly demonstrated a lack of will and intention to establish a people- and environment-oriented RP, even as it freely facilitated the acquisition of large swathes of precious Goan land and community resources,” said Fr Eremito.
GFDO stressed that the importance of having an RP, which does not go against the laws of nature has been effectively showcased in the Chennai disaster, which has been brought about by reckless building and encroachments upon river canals, lakes, water bodies and natural drainage paths.
