Locals divided over Comunidade’s offer to hand over Bhagwati plateau for Film City; Comunidade member says his dissenting note was neither accepted nor recorded in meeting
The Bhagwati Plateau in Loliem.
CANACONA
The Loliem Comunidade’s recent nod to allot 250 acres of its land at the entire eco-sensitive Bhagwati plateau for the proposed Film City has divided locals in the village, even though Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) is yet to give its consent to the proposal.
While 41 members of the Comunidade supported the resolution at its meeting on October 14, there is growing dissent in the village. There are also quite a number who are undecided about the project.
OPPOSITION
Dennis Fernandes, former president of Citizen Committee of Loliem (CCL), who had successfully thwarted the government’s move to set up the IIT Goa campus on the Bhagwati Plateau, accused Comunidade members of being hell-bent on destroying the plateau for their personal greed.
“Comunidade lands are held for the benefit of the entire village. Any attempt by the Comunidade to alienate these highly eco-sensitve and sacred lands will be defeated by the ‘Rakhondars’ of our village,” he said.
Fernandes’ reaction assumes significance, given the fact that Loliem-Polem villagers had endorsed stiff opposition to any sort of development on the Bhagwati Plateau after passing a unanimous resolution in a Gram Sabha a few years ago.
Added a source, “An IIT would have been okay to some extent, but the concept of a Film City especially on an eco-sensitive Bhagwati Plateau will be disastrous for the locality.”
Speaking to a section of media, Loliem Comunidade member Om Prabhugaonkar, an architect by profession, had reportedly said his dissenting note was neither accepted nor recorded in the Comunidade meeting where it was finally decided to offer 250 acres of land to the ESG for the Film City.
Prabhugaonkar is also reported to have stated that the Comunidade meeting was held with the pre-determined agenda to grant a nod to the project and while many members were not in favour of offering land to the government, they chose not to speak out as supporters of the proposal were more in number.
Sarang Agrasani, a resident of Loliem who works in the Mumbai Film City at Goregaon, said he has had first-hand experience of a Film City.
“Being associated with Mumbai’s Film City, I believe it is not a healthy proposal to host a Film City in our Loliem village. People who work there like Spotboys, Lightmen, Cameramen and assistants cannot afford to live in good houses. That is the reason, how and why slums have developed in surrounding areas, all of which have telling effect on the other decent living residential places in the area,” said Agrasani.
Speaking further, Agrasani said Loliem, with a population of about 4,000, presently does not get proper electricity, water, and other basic facilities.
“If the Film City will offer employment to about 10,000 people, as claimed by a politician recently, only about 1,000 jobs will go to locals and the remaining 9,000 will be the workforce from outside Goa.”
“The government should first provide basic necessities to locals living in the village before thinking about infrastructure development. Just because we have land it should not be given away for development without thinking of the bad effects.”
“Locals would not benefit if a Film City is set up in Loliem. Instead, only politicians and a very few people will benefit from such a move,” Agrasani added.
SUPPORT
Loliem Comunidade President Vishwajeet Warik confirmed that the Comunidade had offered 250 acres of land at Bhagwati Plateau to ESG for a Film City and said it was the same land earlier proposed for the IIT Goa campus.
“The Loliem Comunidade committee felt this is one of the best opportunities for the people of Canacona taluka. At present, our taluka is still being considered as ‘backward’ and not much development is taking place,” justified Warik, while earlier speaking to The Goan.
“Loliem Commuidade has ample land which can be put to use for the welfare of village and Canacona taluka to set up non-polluting projects. Even our elders used to tell us that if land is needed for some non-polluting projects, it should be made available.”
“We are of the strong belief that if a Film City is set up, unemployed youth in Canacona will get jobs, direct as well as indirect employment. Besides, if we need Dabolim Airport to be kept alive, developments and projects in South Goa are a must. If a mega project like the ‘Film City’ comes to South Goa, Dabolim Airport will surely remain operational,” said Warik.
Incidentally, some panch members who stood like a rock with the people and had vehemently opposed the IIT or any type of development on Bhagwati plateau are also favouring a Film City.
UNDECIDED
Former Sarpanch and sitting panch Ajay Lolienkar was a strong crusader of anti-IIT movement a few years ago but has now given indications that he is open to the idea of the Film City.
“As of now, the Loliem-Polem panchayat is still in the dark. If and when the issue of a ‘Film City’ in the village comes to the panchayat, we will certainly go to the people’s court (Gram Sabha) even before the elected body discusses the matter. We will seek the opinion of the people. Their opinion will be binding on the panchayat body,” said Lolienkar.
Prashant Naik, an educationist and politician who led a group of people along with the former Loliem Comunidade committee to counter the anti-IIT crusaders, said he had not studied proposal for the Film City.
“I do not know the impact, the advantages and disadvantages of a Film City and hence, I will not comment unless I study the proposal. In the meanwhile I will bring to public notice what Prof. Nandkumar Kamat had to say in the matter,” said Naik.
“In his blog, Prof. Kamat in a blog said the Film City would cause massive cultural pollution, with collateral damage, adding that in no way would it benefit film production in Konkani and Marathi, but would drive up real estate prices as big cash rich actors would build their third or fourth homes and luxury resorts around it.”
POLITICS
Barely three days after the Loliem Comunidade’s nod to the Film City, Loliem-Polem Sarpanch Pratiza Bandekar resigned on October 18 citing ‘personal reasons’, but speculations were rife over her sudden and surprise move and many are linking it to plans to set up the Film City in the village.
“The green signal by the Loliem Comunidade to set up a ‘Film City’ at the eco-sensitive Bhagwati Plateau was the turning point for Bandekar,” said a source.
“Some senior panch members were earlier not in favour of the IIT project and had even been instrumental in passing a resolution at the Gram Sabha not to allow any development on the Bhagwati Plateau. They are now favouring a ‘Film City’, and began to pressurise the Sarpanch.”
“While the sarpanch, some panch members and villagers are not in favour of permitting any development on Bhagwati plateau, Bandekar reportedly decided to resign as Sarpanch, rather than be party to favour the ‘Film City’ in the village against people’s wishes,” the source added.
