Who is destabilising Goa? Dr Claude or Mr Parsekar?
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 08 December 2015 22:25 IST
Who is destabilising Goa’s economy? The one who helps in filling the government coffers or the one who surrenders Goa’s wealth to the mining lobby?
Goa Foundation has raised a pertinent question while filing a rejoinder before the Supreme Court, in reply to the counter-affidavit filed by Goa government in the case of renewal of 88 mining leases.
In its counter-affidavit, Goa government had alleged that Goa Foundation has ulterior agenda of not only halting the economic progress, obstructing the development of the state and the nation, but also a kind of discreet agenda with some ulterior motives.
Following this, four BJP legislators from the mining belt had demanded inquiry into Goa Foundation’s assets while one MLA had even called its director Dr Claude Alvares an anti-national.
“Approaching courts in public interest to cure the degenerate acts of politicians and powerful miners and developers cannot be termed criminal or anti-national activity by any yardstick of the imagination”, stated the rejoinder filed by the Foundation in the court today.
The GF has pointed out that because of the petition it had filed regarding illegal mining in Goa and the Supreme Court orders, Goa government could confiscate and e-auction 15 million tonnes of iron ore extracted illegally.
Quoting the latest Economic Survey of Goa government, Foundation pointed out that Rs 750 crore has already been deposited with the government and Rs 50 crore has been set aside as Permanent Fund for future generations. The money is raised through e-auction of 5 million tonnes of iron ore out of total 15 million tonnes.
“Thus, petitioner's efforts have been productive not only for the present economy but for the future one as well. But Goa Foundation has not been compensated for the considerable work done by it for successfully prosecuting the petition in public interest,” stated Goa Foundation.
Contrary to this, alleges Goa Foundation, Goa government by its actions of complicity, has surrendered Rs. 1,98,499 crore (nearly 2 lakh crore) to the mining lobbies in the State.
The rejoinder extensively argues how the renewal of 88 mining leases and granting it to same lease holders is illegal and in violation of the Supreme Court orders.
Dr Alvares, who has already welcomed probing assets of Goa Foundation, also states in the rejoinder that they take small donations from the public to meet costs of courts while the legal help is provided pro bono.
BONAFIDES OF GOA FOUNDATION
As Goa government has raised concerns about bonafides of Goa Foundation, the rejoinder has listed it out in a following manner:
The Director of the Goa Foundation (Dr Claude Alvares) is still a member of the Supreme Court’s Monitoring Committee and was requested even as late as last year by the Supreme Court to assist Customs at Nhava Sheva Port, Navi Mumbai, in destruction of waste oil stocks impounded by Customs in violation of the Hazardous Waste Rules.
Dr Alvares has served as a member of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee from 2003/
Dr Alvares was a member of the Supreme Court High Level Committee on Hazardous Wastes and worked with Prof MGK Menon on that Committee for three years, from 1997-2000.
In October this year, Dr Alvares has been appointed by the Gujarat High Court as Commissioner to oversee alleged damage to mangroves and their rehabilitation by Adani Port.
Dr Alvares also serves on the Monitoring Committee of the Goa Government on Municipal Wastes.
WHY OPPOSING MANDOVI-TEREKHOL BRIDGES?
Goa government has also accused Goa Foundation of stalling Goa’s progress and development by filing petitions against Terekhol and Mandovi bridges as well as eco-friendly garbage disposal plant.
Goa Foundation has its own justifications, as follows:
Terekhol bridge is being constructed with public money (Rs 77 crore) for aid of a golf course, in CRZ I area, without environment studies and without forest clearance. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has thus directed study of the environmental impact of the bridge from National Institute of Ocean Technology.
The third Mandovi bridge, costing Rs 560 crore, is being constructed without conducting environmental impact assessment, due to which the NGT has now stayed construction in the river bed and ordered EIA.
Municipal Solid Waste Plant contract is given as largesse to a BJP contractor, who is putting up a plant without environment clearance at a location expressly forbidden by the High Court in view of damage to existing water body. While other MSW plants are contracted at rates ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 800 per tonne, this plant is given out at a cost of Rs. 9800 per tonne.
CLICK BELOW TO READ THE FULL REJOINDER
Goa Foundation Rejoinder
O Parsekar, Bhaee-ik vichar kite mhun zaap diuun mhun Claud-aak
Thumps up Sunila Muzawar for bringing out the facts. Most people in Goa are emotional and bark based on religious or party affiliations.
Sunila excellent comments.
Most people on this forum and elsewhere forget the context. They get lost by catchy messages and use a broad brush to paint everything. DR. Oscar Rebello is one of this who needs to be educated or may be he is also the part of the gang. Who knows. People can do anything for money and smart people are really good to camaflouge.
You should write often.
It is very important to expose these extortionists posing as environmentalists today. Operation Flood phase 2 of the White Revolution was probably deliberately derailed by Alvares. That prevented India from becoming the largest exporter of milk and milk products in the world. He tried his best to make a villain out of Mr. Kurien the Father of the Milk Revolution. This GF man has only criticized and stopped development in his life. He has never created anything. His work is destructive and not constructive. I am not for mining but seriously it is time these extortionists get exposed. Meenacshi Martins and some other land owners said they were threatened by this guy's lawyer wife that their personally owned ancestral lands are private forest. And at the same time their agents who are architects affiliated to builder lobbies offered these land owners meager prices to sell the land. Pressure via environmental stuff to force land owners to sell land cheaply to select builder lobbies. She did her best to expose this evil nexus but neither the govt nor the media did much. Bottom line is this guy is still stopping legitimate development of bridges and garbage plants. He didn't do anything when the CONgress govt was in power. And now he's stopping the present govt from doing development. Guy needs to be exposed so at least people know the truth.
To People who are barking against genuine NGO's and goa environment protectors.
Read carefully and see if your short term mining gains is more important or the future of your family.Oh BTW did you read what MGP MLA from ponda had to say about Dr Claude Alvares .YES HE SAID HE IS A VERY TRUE GOA FUTURE GENERATION PROTECTOR.
SAD YOUR mining looting companies cannot loot as much now.