Team Herald
PANJIM: It’s all over bar the shouting. One by one the Goa government is driving the last nails into the box carrying the carcass of Goa as it once was. Bulldozing public opinion, the government confirmed three blatant anti-people decisions. They are:
Red is green: Alcohol factory of ‘Vani Agro” cleared by declaring orchard area as Investment Promotion Zone
1) A pristine green area in Sanguem full of trees and fields declared an investment promotion area where land conversions and construction will take place bypassing the Regional Plan, for a beer factory.
The government announced that a go ahead has been given to Vani Agro Pvt Ltd for setting up of an alcohol and brewery industry at Amdai, a red category project under which hazardous and polluting industries are classified. The all powerful Investment Promotion Board had recommended this an “investment promotion area” with no apparent justification. An alcohol factory is now going to be constructed among fields rather than in an industrial area. It is widely believed that it was to clear this project that the government moved an amendment to the Tree Preservation Act and de-classified coconut as a tree.
2) Final Nail: Quittol to be permanent venue of DefExpo and Aero show
The final revelation that the village of Quittol in Betul will indeed be the venue for the DefExpo as well as the Aero show, for which will be held across 150 acres of the fragile coastline out of 200 acres allotted by the IDC, was made in the Assembly by the Industries minister on Thursday.
This wasn’t what Mahadev Naik, Industries Minister replied in the Assembly in the last session, in response to a question raised by MLA Vijay Sardesai. “We have informed the Ministry of Defence that the decision regarding creation of permanent exposition ground will be taken separately. This proposal, however, does not have any co-relation to Defexpo-2016 scheduled in Goa, which is one time event,” he had said.
3) Honest officer Jacques’ report on how Tiracol land is likely to have been illegally sold, buried and rejected
A fact finding report of a one man committee constituted by the government to check whether 9 lakh square metres of land “sold” by farmers to Leading Hotels, is likely to have come to the conclusion that the sale was of tenanted land not permissible under law. The head of the committee Sandip Jacques, has shocked the government. Sources maintained that if this was accepted then the very basis of the much touted Golf Course and Villa project would be nullified. (See full report on this page below). Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza announced in the Assembly that the report was not accepted and an opinion has been sought from the Advocate General on whether a Judicial Inquiry is needed.
Herald: Everything is permanent about DefExpo & Aero Show
The mask is off, the govt pretended no decision was taken on making Quittol permanent venue, IDC decided to give 150 acres as permanent venue and govt had approved
Team Herald
PANJIM: Although the Union Defence Ministry and State government have been claiming that the DefExpo and Aero Show will not be permanently held in Goa, papers tabled on the floor of the House reveal that State has already passed a resolution to give land in Quittol on a permanent basis to host these two events.
However, considering the ongoing opposition to the project from the locals, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) said that the government may take a suitable decision regarding the permanent venue for the DefExpo and Aero Show.
“Goa government run Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in its 344th board meeting held on July 15, 2015 had resolved to grant in-principle approval for allotment of 150 acres of land at Quittol for organising DefExpo and Aero show on permanent basis,” reads the letter written by IDC’s Managing Director S V Naik to Union Defence
Ministry’s Department of Defence Procurement.
Minister for Industries Mahadev Naik tabled the documents on the floor of the House in response to the question by Congress Quepem MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar.
In the same letter, IDC said that while executing the agreement, the points to be considered are – Goa should be a permanent venue for Aero Show, there should be fixed income to Goa-lDC and a clause to repossess the land in case the show is shifted elsewhere in the future.
“Considering the public opinion vis-a-vis the benefit which the State and the GIDC may avail from the event, the government may take a suitable decision regarding the permanent venue for the DefExpo and Aero Show,” the letter added.
Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in a letter written to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had requested land in Goa for the DefExpo and Aero Show. “To look out for alternative venues for Aero India, a committee was set up by this Ministry in the past and the committee, after going through all the merits and demerits, had recommended Goa as the most suitable venue for Aero India. Goa being a popular tourist destination has an added advantage for hosting such show,” the letter read.
