The villagers of Cansaulim had been fighting consistently during the last year and a half to stop a mega project of Gonsalves Dias and builder Aboo Bhakar which was having a very adverse effect on the ecology and environment of a very rural ward Kottarwaddo in the village of Cansaulim. The licence to this project had been issued by the village Panchayat by flouting all procedural norms.
The builder had misrepresented facts by falsely stating that there was a 10m access road to the project when the ground reality showed the existence of a road width of less than 3m. The villagers had systematically lodged their protest to the housing project which comprised of 46 flats, swimming pool and a clubhouse to the respective authorities.
They had even passed a resolution in the gram sabha for issuing immediate stop work order to the project for violation of norms enumerated by them. The Panchayat had then issued a stop work order to the builder, which was not served on him for reasons best known to the then ruling Sarpanch, Mr. Jose Manuel Fernandes.
Frustrated with the Panchayat body for not acting on the illegalities pointed out by them, the villagers went on appeal to the Director of panchayats, in whose court, the matter lies pending till date. Seeing no justice forthcoming from office of DOP, the villagers filed a PIL in the Honourable High Court of Goa. The Honourable High Court delivered its verdict on 15th March 2011 and chastised the local Panchyat for supporting the builders and
- Developers/owners. However, in the matter of this nature, this- Court should not be compelled to issue directions to the
- Authorities to act in accordance with law. All licences and
- Permissions should be issued in ecological and environmental
- Interest and in the interest of general public. The honourable bench directed further, referring to an earlier judgement in a Calangute case, the Court directed that We hereby direct that till the said road is constructed 6 metres wide, no further construction will be permitted. Neither occupancy certificate shall be issued in respect of the constructed area.
This order does not prohibit either of the parties to provide alternate road connecting to the site in accordance with law. The direction of this Court is in public interest and
- for public safety. There should be no obstruction to free and- smooth flow of traffic and access to the traditional village
- houses and the same cannot be blocked. The villagers were represented by their counsel Adv. Nigel Da Costa Frias. This is a major victory for the villagers who have been fighting tooth and nail to preserve the heritage and agrarian identity of the village from the marauding builders who are out to destroy Goan villages for personal gain said a villager.
This is always the case - the builders show a 10 metre wide road in the plan while on the ground the actual width is just 3 metres. There are more violations of norms. The terms of the license are never followed. Where there are megabucks, there are also kickbacks. After those concerned receive the kickback, they are not in a position to kick the project back. If they do, they will get a kick in the back from the builders. So illegalities are then "legalised". It is the people who suffer.
ReplyDeleteThe Director of Panchayats seems to be in cahouts with the dispensers of kickbacks.
It is then left to the Courts to tell the Government to do its job towards the people.
Let us pray every other village are victorious too in their fight against the Mega Building Contractors. Well done residents of Cansaulim.
ReplyDeleteWell done Cansaulim villagers and may GOD bless you all. You , people are fighting the battles to save GOA for posterity. whatever happens in Goa ,is by the blessings of our ignorant and foolish politicians. we live in democracy and we have full power to stop anything . This is the lesson the two dirty PIGS of Goa to learn a lesson . If all the villages in Goa unite , they can take the corrupt politicians to task.
ReplyDeleteClear Cowdung on the face of another father of Birla slums Mouvin Godhino who was supporting this project for long like Chor of Varca, Chorchill who is hell bent on Raheja project. These people will not even rot in hell but live forever in hell at the people's curses.
ReplyDeletewell done Cansaulim villagers. A slap in the face for Mauvin Godinho his cousin builder Queeny's Aggie Alcacoas, villain Aboobakr Shaikh and Fr. Valmiki Gonsalves-Dias and his brother Stuart and the corrupt Sarpanch Jose Manuel Fernandes and the Government Machinery like TCP, Directorate of Panchayat.
ReplyDeleteWell done villagers of Cansaulim. We need to speak for villages like Cansaulim and Carmona.
ReplyDeleteHere is yet another Priest that is mis behaving.
ReplyDeleteAs per my sources in Goa,FR. Valmiki is well known to have a soft spot for women.He hardly ever behaves like a Priest.he has become a Businessman these days.He uses his Priesthood as a weapon.
Not sure why he joined the Priesthood.Apparently he thinks he is a Lothario in a cassock.
Aboobakr Shaik is a well known crook.He thinks he has a lot of influence with all the "higher ups".
The work he has carried out on his Projects are all sub-standard and shoddy.
anyone booking any Flats in his projects, will have to spend double correcting the mistakes.
He is not an architect or Civil Engineer. If you need any proof visit the properties he has developed.
Complaining has no impact.He will either ignore you or threaten you.
Stuart as far as I have been given to undersatnd is a "PLAIN SAMPLE".It is his wife that drives and motivates him.
Stuarts wife is a "big crook" & Cheat.It is her along with Fr Valmiki that have been sucked into this Project.They 2 have also sucket the rest of the family into this and there is now an internal battle.
Apparently there is a serious Court Case going on amongst the family.
I doubt that Fr Valmiki & his sister in law care about the environment and the imact of this Project.He has been blindly sucked into the world of crooked builders.
Future generations in Cansaulim will surely curse this project.