UTS Voice
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The Order of the Chief Secretary staying the ‘de-silting’ of the River Sal, after hearing all parties concerned appears to be pre-emptive as the populist movement spearheaded by Sarpanches from the affected villages, socio-activists, Goa Bachao Abhiyan Activists, Women’s Groups, and Priests threatened to blow out of control with opposition ‘for the Casino’ suddenly surfacing from unexpected quarters the Cavelossim Citizens Vigilance Committee and Tourist Taxi Association- Beach Hotels.
The Taxi Association in an advertisement in a local paper, felt that ‘since the Government has considered, Tourism as Industry, these kind of projects indirectly help the local people. Taxi owners from South Goa would benefit as this would generate a lot of business along the coastline from Velsao to Canacona’.
Chief Secretary Singh assured the Delegation of Save River Sal Front (SRSF), that he would personally inspect the site where the Leela Hotel had undertaken dredging work. The Save River Sal Front comprised of its Convener Nevidade D’Costa, Fr. Maverick Fernandes, Cavelossim Parish Priest Fr.Nelson Colaco, Sarpanches Edwin Barreto, Reny Caeiro, Cruz Silva, and GBA activist Shridhar Kamat. Conspicuous by his absence at the crucial meeting was the Captain of Ports A P Mascarenhas, whose NOC (No Objection Certificate) granting permission to the Hotel Leela’s to dredge the river at Mobor, Cavelossim sparked off the controversy.
Says Cavelossim Sarpanch Edwin Barreto, “ A democratic government is supposed to look after the welfare of the people. The dredging or de-silting of the river is certain to hurt (as confirmed by ecological experts) the aquatic life, especially the rich species of mollusks or shellfish the harvesting of which has been the sole livelihood of many an inhabitant of the villages along the Sal’s banks. At the Gram Sabha the people have expressed their opposition to the dredging operations at Cavelossim. As their leader I must fulfill their wishes. Furthermore, giving license to one such boat could open the floodgate for others. Nevertheless, some 800 odd fishermen operate from the villages of Assolna, Velim, Cavelossim and Betul. Such a large ship will certainly hinder navigation and operation of the Mechanized fishing boats using the River at present. Besides, the moral and cultural degradation of our youth is also at stake, since it is a known fact that it need not be only rich businessmen or foreign tourists that fall prey to the lure of gambling.’
Barreto points out that even though as early as in March this year he had written to the Captain of Ports to withdraw the NOC issued to the Leela Hotel the former’s office had taken no action. In fact, certain clauses that pertain to seeking permission from the local authority (in this case the Panchayat) have been (purposely?) omitted from the NOC that was given to the Beach Resort recently. Interestingly the Captain of Ports had in a letter dated 9/5/2006 directed the Chief Engineer Hotel Leelaventure ‘to shift the vessel ‘ M.V. The Leela ‘ at another site immediately and at the earliest, under intimation to this department”.
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