Expect a mixed bag of surprises -- By Eugene Correia

No matter which political party comes to power, Goans must hope that the winning party will serve its goal in giving good governance to the people. If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bounces back to rule Goa, it will not necessarily mean that the people have reposed their faith in the party.  It could be that BJP squeezed through because the non-BJP votes were divided among the other parties and independents. Overall, the BJP has failed on its promise of good governance. It’s unlikely any party will get the required two-third majority and, perceptively, will have to seek alliances.

Prior to the elections, there was a mad rush to form mahagathbandhan between some parties, particularly a tie-up between Indian National Congress (INC) and Goa Forward Party (GFP), the latter which came about from Congress dissenter, Vijai Sardesai. It never happened because of several barriers, and the Congress went ahead and fielded a candidate in Fatorda. In this fracas, the BJP candidate, Damodar (Damu) Naik, could come up trumps.

The GFP was born out of “revenge politics”. In avenging the denial of ticket by the Congress in the 2012 elections, Sardesai rode the sympathy wave to defeat Damu. Though he performed well in the assembly, Sardesai’s harping on the vague concept of Goenkarponn may not solely win him votes, though it may have won him accolades. This time should be a close-call for either one, as Damu has been Fatorda’s representative for three times.

One may never know what provoked Congress to take on the two warhorses. It’s hard to believe that BJP and Congress stuck a deal to derail Sardesai’s chances.  Did Parrikar and Faleiro sat in each other’s laps? Maybe there were wheels within wheels. As everyone knows, politics makes strange bedfellows.

Think of what has happened in Panaji, where Congress has not fielded a candidate but supports Atanasio J. Monserrate, who was expelled from the Congress, and formed United Goans Party (UGP) when his overtures to the United Goans Democratic Party (UDGP) weren’t entertained. Shockingly, his wife, Jennifer Monserrate, is seeking re-election from Taleigao on the same Congress ticket. It throws up the question if Atanasio (Babush) will be re-admitted into the Congress if he wins the coveted Panaji seat, which is counted as a formidable BJP stronghold.

The BJP incumbent in Panaji, Sidharth Sripad Kuncalienker, is in the fray but his

prospects of pulling off a victory over both Monserrate and Ketan Bhatlikar, the latter fielded by Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM), a party floated by expelled RSS boss, Prof. Subhash Velingkar. Kuncaliker won the bye-poll as he was Parrikar’s staffer before Parrrikar was summoned to Delhi. Isn’t there a special friendship between Babush and Parrikar? What seems the gameplay here? BJP boss, Amit Shah, has hinted that Parrikar will manage Goa, and this either could be by remote-control or physically moving to take up charge of government if BJP captures Goa again.

The Monserrates are straddling two stools, and it seems Atanasio has also kept his previous constituency, Santa Cruz, safe by getting his friend, Antonio (Tony) Caetano Fernandes, to run on the Congress ticket. There’s no doubt that Atanasio is a king-maker and his writ runs in the triangle of these three constituencies because of his muscle and money power. More than any diligent work for the people, Atanasio has a track record for amassing ill-gotten wealth and a long list of police records for nefarious activities.                                     Atanasio’s rise in politics runs parallel to another strongman, Churchill Alemao who, however, has longer years in the corridors of power. Now trying his luck in Benaulim, where his daughter, Valanka, was beaten by Caetano (Caitu) Silva, Churchill is a never-say-die fighter in Goan politics. Denied a Congress ticket for serving jail in the Louis Berger bribery case, Churchill is trying his luck on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket.

Remember, Churchill embraced the Tirnamool Congress (TMC) party for his unsuccessful parliamentary run at the behest of the late Dr. Wifred D’Souza. With Silva having got a recent boost with the Union Home Ministry declaring him an Indian citizen, as the sword was hanging over his head since his astounding win in the last elections, following which a case was filed on his national status, he could have gained in stature as the saviour of thousands of Goans who have their births registered in Lisbon. Caitu can feel assured that his citizenship victory, can translate into bring him back to the assembly. This part of Salcete has seen has seen a lot of exodus out of Goa on Portuguese passports.

Whatever the hidden agenda between the two kumpars, Churchill has conceded Navelim to Luizinho Faleiro, who was soundly defeated by Churchill in what is one of the greatest and best wrestle-mania-type fight between the two. So much so, Luizinho abandoned Goa for long and stayed aloof from Goan politics. When it seemed Luizinho has given up his assembly ambitions, he’s back in the thick of the electoral arena on the lame excuse that friends wanted him to contest again.

In the new chapter of their relationship, it suits Churchill to move away from his nemesis, Avertano Feranandes, who inflicted humiliating defeat on the former CM, and leave Luizinho to his former stomping ground. A win is crucial for Luizinho to re-ignite his political future. If Congress wins, and if both Digamber and Luizinho come back roaring, one can expect a tug-of-war for the chief ministership.

Eugene Correia is a senior journalist.

I have avoided Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), as it’s a new player in Goan politics. However, the party can’t be ruled out to make an impact in the electoral politics. One cannot brush aside its victory in Delhi over favourites Congress and the BJP. The party is also making waves in Punjab. If the party bags a few seats, it can play the role of a broker. The post-poll scenario is likely to be as messy as the pre-election scenario was. If I have to make a political forecast, March 11 will spring a mixed-bag of surprises. 

 

Destruction of Cavelossim beach by the BJP government. Mother Goa is crying. By Nisser Dias.

Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has ordered the Directorate of Fisheries to stop work with immediate effect and also issued show cause notice as to why direction to demolish the structures and to restore the land to its original condition should not be issued.

The Directorate of Fisheries is in the process of building a 483mts. wall known a training wall to open the river mouth and keep it navigational during monsoons and upgrading jetty at Cutbona, Betul and river training at the mouth of the river as a part of the Rs. 100 crores development of jetties here and at Chapora.

Acting on the complaint of the Iris Passanha – president of Cavelossim Villagers Forum where in he stated that illegal mud dumping activities and destruction of sand dunes and illegal construction of road has been undertaken in total violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) in the No Development Zone(NDZ). He also stated that the illegal activities in the No Development Zone of Arabian Sea and River Sal will cause severe degradation to the coastal environment , eco-system and ecology.

Acting on the complaint of Iris, GCZMA pointed out that for any proposal of re-contruction, construction, development, repair between 200 to 500mts of the High Tide Line (HTL) from Sea and 100mts from the rivers prior approval from GCZMA is required since alleged illegal activities are highly detrimental to the coastal eco-system, riverine ecosystem.

In its order GCZMA also pointed out that Directorate of Fisheries has not obtained any prior approval for the purpose of alleged construction as required under CRZ notification 1991/2011. The authority has directed the directorate of fisheries to file their reply along with compliance report and to produce licences or approvals from concerned authority along with approved plans and other document before March 6, 2017.

Iris Passanha said for such a project environment clearance is mandatory. The construction of the road is illegal the fisheries directorate is carrying out this work with EC. “Whether it is government project or private any development within HTL is illegal and in violation of law”. “This is utter destruction of coastal environment , eco-system and ecology and we might  have to approach NGT for stop it”.

Minister for Fisheries Avertano Furtado said that it is just a retention wall to stop formation of sand bar at the mouth of the river. “It is long standing demand of the trawler owners as sand bar formed during monsoon hinders their movement to and fro from the sea and jetty as they have to wait to the tide to come in to cross”.

A sand bar is a long raised area of sand below the surface of the water, especially where a river enters the sea, usually formed by moving currents.

Cavelossim sarpanch Viola Costa informed that the panchayat office too has issued a stop work notice. She said the office had issued temporary ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) for road to transport the material for which panchayat office has secured a security deposit of Rs. 50,000. However the contractor did not provide us CRZ permission or approval for the up-gradation of the jetty and training wall project. Sarpanch also informed that based on communication from GCZMA the panchayat office has issued stop work notice.

Dr. Sharmila Monteiro – director of fisheries department said model study has been carried out of this project by IIT Chennai before taking up this project. “There was a demand of the trawlers owners that they lose a lot of time to dock at the jetty due to sand bar and the same while venturing out in the sea they had to wait for high tide, hence government decided to train the river at its mouth and such projects have been carried out in many states like Malpe and Mangalore”. She also stated that they have all the approvals from all the concerned departments and authorities for the more than 400 meters wall near the mouth of the river.

Will AAP prove to be the dark horse? -- Jose Maria Miranda

Fifty years ago, Goans freed themselves from the clutches of those who shamelessly wanted to turn this land of ours into a colony of Maharashtra. Yet, vestiges of this slave mentality remained and keep cropping up regularly by raising the bogey of Marathi as official language, which it undeservedly nearly is, and by attempting to destroy Goa’s unique identity and character.

Today, all that we valiantly fought for is steadily sought to be erased and the verdict indirectly reversed by language fanatics and crooked politicians and parties who wish to build vote banks and minimize the influence of the Goan vote. Mopa, Regional Plan and many projects in pipeline, besides being dangerously oblivious of serious ecological and environmental damage are aimed at increasing the influx of non-Goans, destroying our traditional occupations and communities. While the Government boasts that these are meant to create jobs, there is no improvement in unemployment among locals and the exodus of Goans is on the rise. We are on the threshold of another referendum on whether we should allow destruction to continue in the name of development and whether we should permit our culture, our identity, our very existence as Goans be diluted or wiped off with anti-Goa and anti-Goans policies of successive Governments.  Unfortunately, we are left with the choice mostly of tested unreliable political parties and a multitude of unscrupulous politicians in the fray.

The need of the hour was to save Goa from the present incumbents who have dished out poor, authoritarian and destructive governance in total disregard of people’s views, interests and concerns. A golden opportunity came our way with split in their ranks. Nitish Kumar & Laloo came together to drive out the common enemy, but politicians in Goa could not emulate them and make small compromises and sacrifices for the sake of Goa. It was too much to expect from them. Hopefully, Goans will teach them a lesson for sacrificing Goa at the altar of their individual egos and self-interest. Greedy politicians, who keep jumping from one party to another, even with more ease than monkeys do, must be made to lose their deposits and the taste of another election.

We face a bigger dilemma than we did last time when people were swayed by promises of good governance and zero tolerance to corruption. We learnt our lessons with promises broken, U turns, corruption and above all despotic and nepotistic governance. This Government has proved that it does not care for people’s sentiments and interests and that it will go ahead in doing whatever it wants. Some of their attempts have been stalled by the Courts, but we cannot afford such costly adventures. If democracy and people’s will have to prevail, this Govt. has to go.

Major parties and some smaller ones no longer or never deserved our trust.

AAP‘s entry gave us at least a choice, though not assuredly the best. Its steps to end corruption, initiatives on education and health, rebates on electricity bills, free water, etc in Delhi and assurances of a manifesto based on people’s views and choices captured the attention and support of those, like me, disgusted with a system that refused to show signs of improvement. With a clean sheet on corruption, it was the only Party that could take on the Centre’s dictatorial and unacceptable ways. BJP’s constant attacks on AAP stalwarts were sure signs of nervousness in the ruling camp. Reluctant to be seen as taking sides, Goans lent little support to AAP initially. Possibly, this made AAP depend on their cadres from outside Goa for its organizational work in the State. No doubt, they were dynamic and hard working people, who went about dedicatedly propagating the ideals and achievements of the party, but the Party also used them as spokespersons in preference to locals. All this did not go well with Goans. Though a supporter of AAP right from the time it set its foot in Goa, I cannot help voicing that AAP unfortunately faulted on a few counts, when it could and ought to have acted with more prudence. For no good reasons, it alienated a few of its well-wishers. Had they been taken into confidence, they would have proved an asset to the Party by their popularity and proven past record of integrity. A few of AAP candidates did not come up to the expectations of its admirers. Kejriwal’s insistence in speaking only in Hindi, even to audiences in Margao, hurt a sizeable chunk of supporters who felt he did not care for their sentiments. Nonetheless, AAP still seems the best bet for us in this confused scenario. It would be a game changer and set new standards of governance, far different from the disgusting ones we have had. Loads of NRIs have come down to Punjab to canvass for the Party. I would hope AAP would be in the driver’s seat but even as a small opposition and with people’s support, the Treasury benches will have to think twice before they act. AAP must support the pro-Goa Goenchi Mati manifesto

Jose Maria Miranda

The question today is not who to reject but who to vote for. Among the undeserving, we may have to choose the least undeserving. But, in some constituencies, I am afraid,  we may have to compromise our principles and conscience and ignore a good candidate with less chances of winability, solely to defeat the most unscrupulous: - an unfortunate but helpless situation. We need to weigh our options and importantly avoid a split that could give an edge to the most undesirable. We can only pray for enlightenment and guidance and that we and our Goa be saved from another catastrophe. As a very revered person recently told me: When things look impossible, God has ways of making them possible.