VIBHA VERMA
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Nearly 4000 people of Baina red light area, including sex workers, whose tenements were demolished in 2004, have not received monetary relief and rehabilitation package from the Goa government despite the High Court of Bombay at Goa passing its final order on January 8, 2013. According to the order the rehabilitation had to be done within six months.
It was exactly nine years ago, on June 14, 2004, that Goa’s infamous and illegal red-light area on Baina beach was razed by the government.
The sex workers, who were migrants and hailed from several neighbouring states, were to be shifted to old Bal Niketan building at Kadamba Plateau, Ribandar for a few months as a part of rehabilitation package. However, before the government could shift them, they disappeared.
According to a survey carried out by NGO Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), before and after the demolition, around 900 sex workers and 3000 people, who were not related to prostitution but either residing or had shops there were affected due to the demolition.
Finally, a writ petition was filed by ARZ along with NGOs seeking High Court’s intervention to enable that those affected should get rehabilitation. The rehabilitation scheme was pending since 2005 with the government, for these people who are mostly squatters.
As the demolition completed its ninth anniversary, the government may invite contempt by not implementing the Court order within the given time frame.
The government apathy in implementing the scheme can be seen in the minutes of the meeting called by South Goa Collector N D Agrawal for discussing the progress made in implementing the order.
Documents revealed that in the five meetings called so far, representatives from the Women and Child development, Goa State Commission for Women and Goa Rehabilitation Board were absent most of the times.
The government was informed about the meetings which could not be held due absenteeism of the above officials in April. The last meeting is now scheduled on June 17, 2013.
