TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Goa’s Movement for Special Status has petitioned Narendra Modi, BJP’s Prime Ministerial Candidate for Special Status for Goa in a memorandum submitted to him.
Goa’s Movement for Special Status (GMFSS) was founded in 2008 by late Matanhy Saldanha — former Tourism and Environment Minister.
“Since this is a long-felt desire and dream of every Goan, we hereby appeal to you to take up this matter with the Central Government, exhorting it to grant the Special Status for Goa under Article 371 of the Constitution of India, after Parliamentary elections 2014,” states the memorandum signed by Prajal Sakhardande, President, GMFSS and John Lobo, Secretary.
The GMFSS has argued that the special status was ‘urgently’ needed as it would help “save our land from the uncontrolled, unchecked and unregulated influx of migrants, including the elite, which is changing the demographic profile of Goa.” And help reduce pressure on the basic amenities caused by such influx.
Arguing that as Goa enjoys one of the lowest birth rates in India, the continuous influx has pushed up the population density to unsustainable levels, placing tremendous pressure on the day-to-day infrastructure including water, electricity, roads and transport, sewage and garbage disposal, among others.
According to the memorandum, special status would help fulfil the dream of the sons of the soil to own and, or build a home for themselves. “Though mega residential projects have sprouted all over the State, Goans can hardly afford such homes. These exclusive, gated communities only house the super-rich from the other States and countries, serving as their second or holiday homes,” charges the memorandum, adding, “It would help the Goan youth who are being displaced and denied employment opportunity in every sphere, as they are heavily outnumbered in their own land.”
Special status according to the GMFSS would help protect heritage and cultural identity of native Goans as while the ongoing influx of migrants is diluting the culture of Goa, “our heritage is under pressure due to haphazard and unmindful development. So much so that even the land in eco-sensitive zones is being sold to the highest bidders, thereby endangering flora and fauna of the State.”
Also special status would help save land for the posterity. Land, which is already so scarce in Goa, is being traded indiscriminately by unscrupulous elements from all over the country and even the world as land is being sold indiscriminately to builders from all over the country and the world, at exorbitant rates.
