Voices unite against amendments empowering authorities, threatening environment; call for people’s participation in new plan
Citizens from all walks of life joined a rally near the Borim bridge at Loutolim to demand a new Regional Plan.
MARGAO
Social activists, politicians and common citizens from all walks of life all joined hands on Saturday near the Borim bridge at Loutolim to demand the formulation of new Regional Plan for Goa with the participation of the people of Goa.
Speakers warned that Goa will be destroyed forever if the people of Goa do not wake up and protest over the amendments empowering the authorities to change the zones of the mountains, fields and water bodies into settlements.
They impressed upon the people to come together and participate in the sustained battle to force the government to come out with a Regional Plan to protect the interests of Goa and Goemkars.
In his address, social activist Abhijit Prabhudesai said successive governments tried to destroy the verdant hills of Goa, besides the paddy fields and eco-sensitive zones since 2005. “During the tenure of former TCP Minister Atanasio Monserrate, the regional plan was painted red. But, the people’s uprising had forced the then government to scrap the plan,” he recalled.
Prabhudesai said the Digambar Kamat government made a fresh Plan RP 2021, but the people came out on the streets to force the government to freeze the plan because of the discrepancies. “But, the plan was revived in 2018 and now new amendments have been brought to the TCP Act, which will pave way for the change in zone of mountains, hills and fields into settlements and destroy Goa,” he warned.
Underscoring the need for the people of Goa to come out and show the government its place, Prabhudesai said the government will have to listen to the voice of the people. “The way things are moving at a rapid pace, Goa will face destruction due to climate change. Today, they are razing down mountains and hills, which in reality means they are destroying our water tanks,” he cautioned.
Activist Xavier Fernandes said the people of Goa need to take a pledge to protect the mountains, hills, khazans and eco-sensitive zones for posterity. He complimented AAP Velim MLA Cruz Silva for his initiative in kick starting the campaign for a new Regional Plan, exuding confidence that the torch the MLA has lit will become a big movement across Goa to save the State from destruction.
“We want every panchayat to sit and decide how they want the regional plan to be in the context of their village. The villagers would certainly know better how to the save their village and Goa as a whole,” he added.
President of Loutolim Tenants Association Albert Pinheiro called for the rectification of the regional plan, saying the plan is responsible behind the acquisition of huge tracts of Khazan fields for the new Borim bridge. “A new Regional Plan should be formulated for Goa with the participation of all the people,” he demanded.
AAP party MLAs Cruz Silva and Venzy Viegas said there is a big race to change the zone of the mountains and hills in the State. They warned that the green fields will no longer remain green if they are not protected via the Regional Plan.
AAP State president Amit Palekar said mountains have been destroy in the capital city, while the government has not zeroed in on the khazans to extend the city limits.
Activist Diana Tavares, Camurlim Sarpanch Basil Fernandes, Roque Mascarenhas were amongst those who strongly rooted for a new regional plan to save Goa from destruction.
