Development that destroys environment and heritage is nothing but and underdevelopment. The proposal of the bridge across the River Zuari linking Siroda and Rachol appears to be at the cost of the history and heritage of Salcete peninsula. Rachol is a village that played a central role in the power struggles in Salcete. The land and the people of Salcete still carry the mark of the activities that emanated from the Fortress of Rachol. Hence, a bridge that is supposed to bridge the people of Salcete with the people of Siroda ironically is set to destroy the history of the peninsula of Salcete. The cat came out of the bag when the Chief Minister said that the bridge will be open only for cars and bikes. Poor Sirodkars who depend on public transport will have no benefit from the bridge and it seems the bridge is only for the rich. You need to have at least a bike to use it. Why have a discriminating bridge?
Opposition to the bridge is about the present route that is proposed. There might be no opposition if the government realigns the bridge and avoids the historical village of Rachol. Why waste resources on a small bridge that will be underused. We appreciate the concern of the government to avoid some damage to the people of Rachol by restricting the use of the bridge, yet our history and heritage is too precious to allow its destruction. The present bridge is for the builders lobby that seems to have its eyes on the land of Siroda. By reducing the distance between Siroda and Margao to nine kilometers the government will only help the rich to come and invade Shiroda as well as Rachol and politically and culturally displace the villagers. Hence, the poor villagers will certainly loose out as vested interests is all out to use our land, culture, history and heritage as raw material to create wealth.
Besides its dynamic history, Rachol village still continues to host several monuments that have great historical as well heritage value. The church of Rachol is the mother church of all the churches of Salcete. The church building was the first Christian temple to be built in Salcete. The gate of the fort that once connected the village of Raia still survives with its moat. Tersa Albuquere states that this imposing gate is partly a replica of the grand Arch of the Viceroys in Old Goa. The Chapel of St Anthony (1580) and our Lady of Glory still survive, one can also notice a small bridge-let as we go to the ferry jetty of today. Above all the seminary of Rachol also called the College of Salcete that actually had its origin in Margao was later shifted to the safety of the fort and finally housed in a permanent structure in 1610 in Rachol where it is still standing against the ravages of time.
The proposed bridge threatens to destroy the history of Rachol and by that measure destroy the narrative of the Portuguese rule as well as the story of conversion of the Salcete people into Christianity. Besides, the magnificent monuments that speak about our past will steadily move on the verge of annihilation as a result of this bridge. Moreover, Rachol is an ecologically fragile village and a bridge appears to be unsustainable in the marshy swamps and water bodies of Rachol. To avoid this, if the bridge uses the existing roads it is certain that it has no carrying capacity and would cause traffic congestion. Hence, our plea to all concerned is to look at the project with sanity and protect the history and heritage of Goans for posterity.
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Life is not a beach for Cavelossim locals
Citizen Herald listens to angry voices from Cavelossim against being pushed to the fringes of development as they lose their fields and their beach. Guilherme Almeida lends an ear
For people of Cavelossim, who have grown up hearing the music of the waves, and seeing the canvas of the sea, sand and the coast, even wondering where the beach is absolutely surreal. And yet, that is their biggest battle, to find the sea. Every inch of the Cavelossim coast has been blocked by beach facing hotels and resorts, a virtual wall between big business and Cavelossim’s locals.
Currently there are three hotels that have been given permission to construct and all the three have blocked beach access to people, even before construction has begun.
The issue had figured at almost every gram sabha over the last year, but the three beach accesses still remain closed. Says a villager Cruz Cardozo, “The Panchayat has not acted on our demand to get the hotels open the beach access. The hotels have maintained that the access will be opened at the time of construction. This argument is totally unacceptable.” Cardozo warned that the villagers might take legal recourse if the Panchayat fails to reign in the hotel managements.”
2 FLASHPOINTS: HOTEL STP AND HOUSING PROJECT
There are two other flashpoints, a Sewage Treatment Plant being built by a fiver star resort right on the banks of River Sal and a big housing project coming up in the area, which villagers allege, has broken all existing rules.
Their battle against the housing project under the banner of Cavelossim Villagers Forum (CVF) reached a decisive stage with the Forum knocking on the doors of the National Green Tribunal for justice. The Forum tasted its first success with the NGT granting ad-interim relief to stop the on going construction project. Says President of CVF, Irish Pasainha, “The Forum was forced to approach the NGT after the local authorities turned a blind eye to the glaring irregularities at the housing site.
Water nullah diverted, another filled by mud
The two inspections carried out by the Water Resources Department clearly brought forth the irregularities at the site, but the authorities preferred to look the other way.”
In fact, WRD inspection of the construction around February unearthed diversion of a water nullah to a length of about 20 meters, while another nullah was filled with mud by stopping the free flow of water. The inspection report said a pond was encroached upon by filling mud and is shifted close to the nullah. RCC columns stand erected to construct a building. Incidentally, WRD’s second inspection a month later revealed that neither the construction activities of the project were stopped nor the illegal structures in the water bodies rectified.It revealed that only a nullah which was filled with mud was restored, but with changes to its original alignment.
No permission from agriculture department
Pasainha claimed the project is allegedly illegal since no permission was obtained from the Agriculture department stating that the fields, where the project is coming up, are unsuited for cultivation. “This condition has not been complied with before issuing the conversion sanad,” he claimed.
No rest till the fields are restored: Father Eremito
Noted Priest, Fr Eremito Rebello, who hails from Cavelossim village, has echoed similar sentiments. ‘The villagers will not rest till the fields housing the construction project are restored to their original condition. It is indeed sad that the authorities have looked the other way despite reports suggesting irregularities,” he lamented.
Rebello, Caitu rally against five star sewage treatment plant
Fr Rebello along with local MLA Caitu Silva has also rallied behind the villagers in their struggle against the Sewage Treatment Plant planned on the banks of River Sal by a starred hotel. “The hotel is building the STP on the banks of River Sal taking shelter of a NOC for upgradation of an existing STP located inside the hotel premises. Villagers will oppose the STP tooth and nail,” he said.
The village panchayat has come under attack from villagers over the construction project, the STP plant on the river banks and stagnation of water in a field adjoining the construction project. Fr Rebello has demanded the resignation of the Panchayat body for being a silent spectator to the host of irregularities plaguing the village.
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People power
Why isn’t Maina –Curtorim police filing FIRs against the powerful?
CITIZEN Menino S Fernandes,
Sao Jose de Areal: The Maina-Curtorim police have been acting above board as far as registering FIRs against high-powered people is concerned. They refused to register FIR against former MP Francisco Sardinha and the ex-collector, N D Agrawal and others for misusing government funds under MPLAD scheme, where the said persons issued an illegal order in May 2013 which came to light only in September 2013, that was secretly executed without the knowledge and written consent of the residents of Sonum Township, Sao Jose de Areal for conversation of private open spaces into an illegal football ground. The complaint was lodged in December, 2013. Secondly, they refused to register FIR in my complaint of November 2013 against Alcon Developers, original owners of the land and the ex-sarpanch of Sao Jose de Areal, Santiago Rodrigues, and the TCP for looting an area of 5000 sq mtrs that was earmarked for a school in Sonum Township. They also refused to register a case of insulting the modesty of a woman by anti social elements in May 2013, despite the insistence of the victim to register the case under Section 509 IPC and that too despite providing the police a video CD as evidence. They also refused to file an FIR when stones were pelted on my bungalow on the night of May 6, 2013 at 11 pm by criminals whose names I provided to the police.
Recently, an FIR was registered against Devu Chodankar in the Facebook post controversy. The police said this was done as per the directives of the Supreme Court. I would say the police have done their job. However, if this be the case then why has the Maina-Curtorim Police refused to file FIRs based on my complaints? The usual explanation given is that the complaints are ‘Non Cognizable.’ Is the Maine-Curtorim police exempted of the directives of the Supreme Court and is the law applied to only certain people?
I want to ask the CM if misuse of State funds for political gain, looting of school area, insulting modesty of a woman and stoning houses are not cognizable offences. On the other hand, Maina Curtorim police are very swift in registering false FIRs against me under stringent Acts. Have the palms of the police been greased by criminals/anti social elements or is it because high powered people are involved along with corrupt politicians who urge the police not to register FIRs with regard to my complaints? I need an answer.
Kadamba bus conductor sells used tickets
CITIZEN Robin Viegas
Panjim/Velsao: I travelled by a Kadamba bus from Panjim to Velsao (final destination Margao) on the 5.30 pm bus on Friday May 23. I bought two tickets for Velsao. The bus conductor gave me one fresh ticket & another ticket from his pocket with very faint printing. When I pointed to him that the destination was not visible, he told me that it was alright for me to travel on the ticket. Initially I thought he might have issued this ticket to me and that it was meant for another passenger. While getting off at Velsao I saw that he had a number of such old tickets with faint printing in his hand. This must be a regular racket to earn an extra buck at the cost of KTC.
Traffic rules are meant to be broken
CITIZEN Pravin U Sardessai
Ponda: Traffic congestion has become a matter of great concern in Ponda. Vehicles are halted/parked as per the whims and fancies of the drivers and this results in difficulties for fellow travellers and pedestrians. Let us consider the scenario. Private cars as also government vehicles (mostly pickups of the Electricity department) are parked on the road adjacent to the post-office. Though the Ponda police station lies very close to this location, the Traffic Cell refuses to levy fines on these defaulters. And so the practice of parking vehicles on the road continues. At the old bus-stand, four-wheelers halt to buy newspapers from the vendors affecting the smooth flow of traffic. Parents come to drop and pick up their children at the Almeida High School halt or park in ‘No Parking’ areas, disobeying traffic signboards at the location. Some company vehicles also drop employees at the sharp turn adjacent to this school. This practice leads to a death trap during peak hours. At Varkhandem too, vehicles are parked on the main road and on Saturday the situation is aggravated as devotees visit the Maruti temple situated at this location. Four-wheelers are found parked even along the narrow Shantinagar road. At Tisk too, two-wheelers and cars are parked on the road creating hindrance to commuters who wait for buses at this strategic spot. It is time for the RTO authorities and the Traffic Cell to take a serious note of this indiscipline on the roads in Ponda and streamline the traffic. Open spaces must be acquired for parking vehicles and smooth movement of traffic must be assured at all costs.
Nightmare on train from Vasco
CITIZEN Dr Praveen Varghese
Vasco-da-Gama: We recently travelled by 3AC from Vasco-da-Gama to Bangalore paying Rs 725 per head. Unfortunately, the AC started giving problems of uneven cooling from Margao and by the time we reached Londa at 6.30 pm the problem compounded to such an extent that fellow passengers unable to bear the excruciating heat pulled the chain and lodged a strong protest both verbal and in writing with the Station Master at Londa. We allowed the train to move on only after the station master vouched that the bogie would be changed at Hubli junction. At 11.30 pm in Hubli we were told that the AC technician would travel with us to rectify the problem. However, we forced the station master to change the bogie.
What seems to be amiss is that in spite of the Southern Railways contributing a significant chunk of railway revenue in terms of passenger traffic, it is meted step motherly treatment by successive railway ministers who pamper their constituencies in the North with new trains, new bogies, etc, whereas old junk, rat and cockroach infested bogies ply on the southern line. I earnestly appeal to the present railway minister, Sadanand Gowda to revamp the railways irrespective of the railway zones, introduce FDI in railways, upgrade the IRCTC online booking server, introduce dynamic fares as in air travel, improve rail safety record that has touched an abysmal low and condemn bogies that are more than 10 years old. Let the ‘Acche Din’ promised by the new government translate into ‘Acche’ rail services too.
Herald thanks its CITIZENS for highlighting several issues of significance. Your paper will follow these issues with the authorities and continue to report back to you through these pages
