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Good? Bad? Ugly?RP-2021 UPDATE
Mine in Goa forest defies law; SC orders probeBahar Dutt / CNN-IBN Collem Mines (South Goa): A multicrore mining industry is operating out of Goa's forest land, inspite of several notices from the Government to stop all operations. A showcause notice (in CNN-IBN's possession) from the Forest Department Goa to the Prafulla Hede Mines in South Goa dated March 2008 reads: "You are informed to showcause as to why action should not be taken to close all mining activities for violating the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act". Three months later, on May 8, 2008 CNN-IBN's Special Investigation Team (SIT) found that rows and rows of trees, 1000 square meters of prime forest has been burnt to ashes and that trucks are operating inside the Hede Mines despite the showcause notice.
GBA campaigns for a revival of agriculture
Proposed township in Carmona, SalceteLocation and Heritage The village of Carmona is located on the southern coast of Goa that stretches from Colva to Mobor, and is hemmed in by the villages of Varca and Orlim on one side and Cavelossim on the other. Carmona has about 1,200 homes spread over its settlement zone. AS much as 55 per cent of the land in Carmona is agricultural and the rest is horticultural/orchard/residential land. Its settled population is 5,000. Carmona has its own church, which celebrated its 400th year in 2007, a temple for Hindus and few chapels. Carmona, reckoned to be a 700-year-old settlement, is ranked among the 20-odd Heritage Villages by the Goa Heritage Action Group (GHAG). Unlike some others in this 'privileged club', Carmona does not boast of numerous unique, elite houses. It has a few old homes of the zonnkars which complement its old agricultural traditions, and have acquired the heritage status. But Carmona's strength is its neat landscaping, bunding, old water channels, thickly-wooded tracts ¬all manifestations of the heritage if one applies the term in its entirety. A large number of families have been living for generations in Carmona, sustaining themselves on agricultural and allied activities. In the last decade or so, an appreciable number of youngsters have found employment in West Asia or well-paying placements with the international shipping companies. Carmona has remained relatively untouched by the tourism, even as it is located on the South Goan tourist belt, comprising Betalbatim-Colva-Benaulim-Cavelossim. Beauty & The Beast?A sign of the times. The crude 21st century! GOA:Sweet Land of Mineby Miguel Braganza The book entitled simply "GOA:Sweet Land of Mine" compiled by Dr.Claude Alvares and Reboni Saha with inputs from Rajendra Kerkar [Swami Vivekananda Green Brigade],Nirmal Kulkarni[ Green Cross, Wildernest], Sandeep Azrencar [Nisarga Nature Club], Amrut Singh [Animal Resque Squad], Abhijit Prabhudesai [Goa Wildlife Group], Rahul Alvares, Ramesh Gauns [CICH, anti-mining activist] is creating waves in Goa. The opening page has a telling comment by Joseph Wood Krutch: Goa: Blood on its mountainsArmstrong Vaz, 21 March 2008, Friday YES, GOA has blood on its mountains, of forest being denuded and water resources drying up through mining activity. The misery the mining industry has invariably dumped on the Goans over the last few decades. A different Goa, from the one projected by the tourism department to the outside world. Mining has been the second most revenue generating industry for the state after Tourism. But at what cost? Moral Externalities of Coastal Tourismby Nandkumar Kamat There is no danger to Goa's morally, socially and legally subsidised tourism as long as the international community (EU members, USA and the Anti-Narcotics arm of the UN) brings pressure on the Indian government to cleanse Goa's tourism sector. Perhaps the British Parliament would be as sensitive to the drugs and crime scene in Goa as it has been to the condition of the last few surviving Indian tigers. A lesson for Goans in fate of Asbury Park beachby Karin Larsen New Jersey, like Goa, is a small coastal state in the United States whose beaches attract tourists from all parts of the country and from around the world. All arrive with preconceived notions of a particular beach scene, created mostly by tourist brochures and returning vacationers. I grew up amidst this beach scene, watching as every five to ten years a new beach becomes trendy and everyone – locals and tourists alike – rushes to make the most out of this new trend. Goa: How the battle was wonBy Rifat Mumtaz and Madhumanti Sardar Recently, Goa became the only state in India to openly declare that no more Special Economic Zones (SEZs) would be set up on its territory. This was a result of relentless pressure from almost the entire state — villagers, educated middle class, professionals, activists, the church and media. Think of Goa , and beaches, pristine forests, churches and hordes of tourists spring to mind. But in the last few weeks the state has grabbed the headlines for different reasons. Despite 22 industrial estates, Goa has successfully refused to host Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Locational Policy for Public Projectsby Nandkumar Kamat Mining Resumes in Goa Despite Opposition From Environmentalists By Steve Herman (Voice of America) A meeting of tribal communities is taking place on the grounds of a church in the ramshackle Goan fishing village of Betul. Catholic priests have raised the alarm about a huge bauxite mine and other development projects planned for the area. Rajendra Kerkar, a local fisherman, needs no convincing. Kerkar says he fears the worst if authorities allow a million tons of bauxite to be mined annually near his house. The jobs will go to outsiders, he says, and illegal mining has already contaminated the groundwater, causing kidney failure among villagers. Dust is blanketing the area and blasting is shaking their homes. Dr Oscar Rebello nominated for CNN-IBN awardPANJIM (HR)– Convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) Dr Oscar Rebello has The other nominees in the public service category are: Public Service To participate in online voting log on to Rubble mound wall at Campal lacks scientific validityby Dr. Antonio Mascarenhas November 29, 2007: A rubble mound wall is being built along the river bank at Campal. The site constitutes a Tongue of Sand, with ample vegetation on it. The justification for this massive structure is not communicated to the public. Nevertheless, the accompanying pictures expose the fate of the body of sand, the geomorphic feature that adds aesthetics to Panjim city and the river bank that accommodates the children's park.
This is a case where medicine is being prescribed where there is no disease. The presumption that the sand body What China is doing to Goa May 03, 2007 I wrote last fortnight about how mining in Goa for iron ore was ripping its forests and devastating its people. I wrote of the violence and protests I saw in its villages, where miners were pitted against people angry at the loss of their cultivable lands and their water bodies. I had asked then: what are we doing? I ask this again. The fact is that Chinese demand for iron ore has increased its price from US $14 per tonne to US $60. This has spurred a black gold rush-mining companies are bidding for areas that were either closed or not opened because they were unprofitable or unviable. In many cases, these mines had not been worked because they were close to villages and companies knew that people would probably protest. Now none of this Can Goa learn from Ralegaon?Anna Hazare: A fearless crusader By Reeta Sharma Who’s protecting them?
Paradise, in Contract
Why Goans won and Mumbaikars lostKalpana Sharma for The Hindu Political parties have literally jumped on the bandwagon. But it needs to be recognised that the decision to denotify was the result of people's vociferous opposition. The fact that the Assembly elections are due in May also helped. For people living in a city like Mumbai, the success of the Goan civil society groups comes as a reminder of what is missing in the city. Despite some opposition and several court cases, the Maharashtra Government continues to push through its plans to transform Mumbai into a "global city" that will ultimately have no moorings in its past, nor serve the needs of the majority of its residents. People’s Plan-ChandorPreetu Nair-Gomantak Times
LANDBURGER-Quitol Quepem
Derek Almeida – Gomantak Times Once considered a remote sleepy village in South Goa, Quitol has been pushed to center stage with two government departments and a UK-based real estate company fighting for a large chunk of land over looking the sea. And the deeper one delves into the issue the more mysterious it becomes.
The Goa Industrial Development Corporation has initiated the process to acquire four lakh square metres to set up auxiliary services for the food park. The tourism department is pushing a 1992 proposal from Leela Ventures to set up a golf course on the same land to attract high-end tourists. Molotov on Mandovi ... the "Russian mafia" in GoaReproduced from Outlook India Trouble is brewing in paradise. The sinister and notorious Russian mafia has trained its sights on Goa, the land of tourist-beckoning beaches and wild rave parties. Hounded in France and the UK, and kept a close watch on in the United States and Israel, the Russian crime syndicates have been looking for new pastures in Asia and the Far East to set up shop, to sprout new tentacles for their drugs, arms and flesh trade. With its poor policing and a lax, pliable and corrupt administration, they couldn't have found a better setting than Goa. Also, in a state where tourism is the prime industry, foreigners are not closely monitored and go unnoticed unlike in other parts of the country. |
From the Discussion ForumThe Rape of Goa - now view it online! (By Rajan Parrikar) May 23, 08 | ARWIN Migrant Danger to Goa by Mr. Rajan Parrikar. May 5, 08 | ARWIN Goan Employment May 10, 08 | ARWIN Employment opportunities for Non Resident Goans May 8, 08 | ARWIN WHY DONT OUR ARCHITECTS SHOW SOME SPINE? Apr 23, 08 | bazooka
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Irked by the morass that governance has turned out to be, Chandorcars have decided to step in and "save" their historic village. A group of villagers took the lead to enlist the views and aspitrations of their co villagers, held public meetings in all eight wards and prepared a 5 year plan for Chandor.