Team Herald
PANJIM: Ever wondered how to get your point of view across to your MLA or to the government? Well, you will get a chance to do it on Thursday, when activists and social workers representing 50-odd organisations will meet in Panjim and interact with the people on critical issues concerning Goa.
At the ‘Goenche Mogi Citizen’s Meet’, the buzz will be political, but not electoral, as discussions will not centre around who is likely to win the February 4 elections, but on finding solutions to various issues plaguing the State.
“Tell candidates what you want Goa to be, fight for an assembly that will care for Goans and Goa. Our children need to inherit the Goa that we did,” says the message issued jointly by all the groups that have come under a common banner ‘Goenchi Mati Movement’.
The meeting is expected to highlight illegalities such as hill excavation, sand mining, destruction of the ‘once beautiful beaches,’ haphazard constructions, weakening of tenants and tribal laws and damage to the environment besides a bunch of unfulfilled poll promises.
Goa Foundation Director Claude Alvares said the resolutions passed at the interaction meeting will be sent to all political parties as well as the candidates. “The meeting will also have the presence of the general public. The organisations and the people will come on a single platform wherein a resolution will be passed based on the discussion on various issues concerning the citizens and submitted to the political parties and candidates to know what their stand is,” he told Herald.
The documents will also be circulated to the voters, Alvares said, so that they are in a better position to counter candidates when the latter approach seeking votes. Asked whether it was not too late to hold such a public meeting, the green activist replied in the negative.
“Everyone is talking about who will be the next chief minister of Goa but serious issues are neglected. We expect that people will raise the issues during the meeting to reach out to the candidates,” women activist Sabina Martins said speaking to Herald.
As she represents NGOs such as Bailancho Saad and Aam Aadmi Aurat Against Gambling (AAAAG), Martins said she would highlight the U-turns of BJP government and failure of successive governments on contentious issues. “Politicians make empty promises. The people were assured of a Regional Plan, shifting of offshore casino vessels and one stop crisis centre for women; but none have been a reality till date. Promises are made every election. The time has come to ensure that the promises are implemented,” she said.
The meeting will also revolve around deforestation, excavation of hills, ruining of river beds, extraction of sand for construction, destruction of villages and beach belt, haphazard constructions by allegedly killing the natural and social environment of villagers, change in laws to allegedly weaken status of tenants and tribals, sidelining traditional fisher folk, etc.
“Goa’s lands have been purchased at huge prices by speculators. Naturally, our young people cannot purchase a house to settle down. Jobs of the kind required are not available. There is no match between locally available talent and industrial units that are encouraged by the government. In the meanwhile, we have been steadily looted of our natural wealth especially iron ore. In eight years of mining, Goa got less than five percent of the earnings generated, 95 percent went to mining companies and the central government,” a statement issued by the organizers said.
The three main speakers at the meeting will be Claude Alvares, Dadu Mandrekar and Ramesh Gawas besides comedian Manohar Bhingui and tiatrist Francis De Tuem. There will also be a youth panel discussion and children will present programs.
