MARGAO
The South Goa district Congress Committee has vehemently opposed the Jetty policy notified by the government, demanding to know when the Tourism department has become the owners of the State’s beach belt and the rivers.
The party has come down heavily on the draft-notification to bring amendments to the Goa building and construction rules.
Addressing the media, South Goa district Congress chief Savio D’Silva said the government is rushing with haste with policies which will destroy Goa within a short span of time. He demanded to know whether these policies are sought to be brought for the benefit of the local populace or the businessmen and industrialists from outside the State.
In his address, Party leader Elvis Gomes said the Tourism department has no right to come up with the draft Jetty policy. “We will even challenge the policy. They have no right to play with the people. The agencies have been roped in to frame the policy at the taxpayer’s money,” he said, cautioning that the policy will destroy the beaches and rivers.
Questioning the rationale behind the government’s decision to rush with the policy, Gomes demanded to know whether the government had prepared the EIA report and sought feedback from the village panchayats.
“The newly-elected panchayat bodies are in place and it is the responsibility of the government to send the policy to the panchayats for discussion at the gram sabhas,” he said, while giving a call to the newly-elected panchayat bodies to demand discussions on the draft Jetty policy.
