Scrap eco-tourism zones from RP, activists to govt

Scrap eco-tourism zones from RP, activists to govt
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, DEC 14
The activists in the State on Tuesday raised black flags in protest against State government’s act of allowing hotel projects by slotting eco-tourism hubs in the Regional Plan (RP) 2021.
Activists from around nine village groups held a press conference in Panjim condemning Chief Minister Digambar Kamat for drafting a plan, which is not in the interest of the State.
Wearing black flags, the activists today gave a deadline of seven days for the State government to scrap eco-tourism hubs from the RP.
“Goa is soon going to enter in the Golden Jubilee Year of State’s liberation. But for Goans it’s a black year celebration ahead,” the activists said.
Pilerne Citizens Forum (PCF), along with other organisations submitted an eleven-point memorandum to the Chief Minister asking to scrap eco-tourism zone.
PCF Convenor Yatish Naik stated that a complete alien concept of ‘eco-tourism zone’ has come to be introduced in the new RP, which has been notified for Pernem and Canacona taluka.
“The said concept was never recommended by task force nor by any Gram Sabha. Hence, this concept is unwarranted and as such deserves total scrapping of the concept,” Naik told reporters.
The activists suspected that the RP notified by the State government was an attempt to give backdoor entry for the hotel projects in the name of eco-tourism.
“We have documentary proof which says that the areas which are marked as eco-tourism spots are already purchased by the hotel groups or the property developers. RP 2021 has been specially carved out to benefit these businessmen,” Naik alleged.
The documents shown by PCF clearly pointed out that the areas which are marked as eco-tourism zone by the government for Pernem and Canacona are already acquired by companies like M/s Leading Hotels Pvt Ltd, Ardent Infrastructure and Developers Pvt Ltd and Alcon Construction (Goa) Pvt Ltd.
“If government fails to scrap these hubs, we will take on the streets in protest. We might also stand against them in the forthcoming elections,” Naik said.
PCF also pointed out that nearly 60 per cent of forest area from the Pernem and 25 per cent forest area from Canacona would be converted into eco-tourism zone.
The forest area covers orchard land, natural cover and cultivable land.
PCF President Sandip Kambli stated that the government is planning to come up with helipads, wireless stations, petrol pumps, weather stations, microwave towers, garbage dumping sites, solid waste management sites and many other concepts in these cultivated and orchard lands.
Meanwhile, the activists also demanded that government should give back VP3 status to all those villages, as declared in draft RP.
“Withdrawal of VP3 without the knowledge of the people is crime against society and Goans,” Father Bismarck Fernandes said.
The activists in their memorandum have also asked State government to come out with a proper industrial policy.
“The existing industrial estates which are craving for attention need immediate revitalisation by bringing in more ‘green industries’, which would provide employment to Goan youth,” the memorandum reads.
“A ‘white paper’ as regards the intensions and sincerity of newly devised concepts like Micro Industrial Zones, General Industry and Industrial estates, is must,” it adds.
The activists also demanded white paper in regard to the growth hub.
The activists belonging to organisations like Goenchya Xetkarancho Ekvott, Village Groups of Goa, Candolim Citizens Forum, Utt Goenkara and Mopa Vimantal Pidit Xetkari Samiti have pledged their support for anti-RP agitation.