Benaulim Public-Police confrontations begins

According to just received information from Benaulim suggests that Public-Police confrontation has began. Todays meeting at Panchayat Hall was called by the Benaulim Villagers Action Comittee (BVAC) to protest against the calling off of the Gram Sabha two days ago.

Two bus load of police personnel from Goa Armed Police are stationed in Benaulim to intimidate the agitating Benaulim villagers since 8 am this morning to prevent people from organising a protest meeting public meeting.

Till 10.30am today neither Secretary nor Sarpanch had turned up at the Panchayat. This signals massive scandal in the allocation of licences to the builders violating existing laws and conventions of democracy to favour builders lobby.

It is indeed truly amazing to note that the Goa Goverment, and most of its institutions are speedily transforming themselves into agents of real estate lobby.

Panchayat Minister Babu Azgaonkar few days ago had single out Benualim for criticism in the Goa Legislative Asembly for blocking mega projects promoting commercial housing prompting sharp response from BVAC.

Benaulim struggle in defence of village land and identity is not showing any signs of subsiding and with deployment of force at the instance of bulders lobby only going to intensify it further.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Micon Realtors' coastal paradise is Benaulim's nightmare

Benaulim villagers are fighting village Panchayat over various irregularities over granting of constructions permissions by Cana-Benaulim Panchayat. Micon Realtors are right at the centre BVAC target.
Our Panchayat gave licences for construction purposes violating various laws. Instead of anwering at Gram Sabha Sarpanch invokes Police repression. We know from where the strings are being pulled!

The aim of constructions like these - mega housing projects is to cause destabilization of population of Benaulim and reduce us into minority.
Constructions have come in ecologically sensitive areas. Builders-Politicians nexus is responsible for the curse on Benaulim. The nexus is supported by the ruling government in Goa today.

Traditional water bodies such as this wetland is a major casualty of the builders' wrath on Benaulim. Mega projects means ecological suicide of Goa that we must not allow. Let us unite, fight and defeat builder-politician nexus.

BVAC Team

Westwinds Benaulim violations: Some more pictures

Westwinds, a construction firm has also been in the forefront of blocking tradtional pathways of banaulekars. Here are some more pictures of the project that belongs to Builder in Margao who claims himself to be defender of Goa, Writer, Secular, proponent of Konkni language, had been in the forefront of number of movements; has now turned himself into oppressor of Benaulim and is advocating use of Police force to bulldoze massive uprisings in Goa against mega projects. Interest of Goa has been replaced with interest of his profits. After all people change...

For earlier posting on this subject with comentary click on the following links:

http://bvacbenaulim.blogspot.com/2008/08/westwinds-captures-benaulims-footpaths.html

BVAC Team

The lost grace of Grace Constructions of Benaulim

One of the registered Mundkars whose mundkarial rights are yet to be settled by Grace Construtions. He had lodged a complaint with the Panchayat in November 2006 even before the Construction Licence was issued. One half and a year later, he was seen crying bitterly at the Gram Sabha in May 2008 when the issue was discussed. Why? The construction licence was given ignoring his complaint.

Clause No. 21 of the Construction Licence mentions that Mundkarial rights shall be protected. The Licence also mentions that THE CONSTRUCTION LICENCE SHALL BE REVOKED in case of NON COMPLIANCE of any of the licence conditions. The Panchayat is playing the role of the Three Monkeys. Mr. CM and Mr. Azgaonkar. Can you tell us if this is in order? Is this not an illegality? Do we call this Grace Construtions or CURSED CONSTRUCTIONS?
Are these steps of uncertainity? Of a system gone haywire?

Grace the grace after blog photo expose by BVAC. First the wells dissapeared during site inspections. After the photo expose on this blog, one of the concrete column dissapears...? The Grace is gone. The Construction too should go. Time is not far away, truth will prevail...
Its a shame on some people of Benaulim who call themselves as professionals (Lawyers, Architects, Surveyors, etc) but not actively supporting the cause. The exposed shuttering above and the tell tale signs of the dissapearing concrete column below. A concrete victory of demolishing concrete without using force or any tool. A result of "UNITY AND PEOPLE'S POWER" Dont forget the example of our Father of the Nation. If He could Free such a Great Nation with Non-violence than What is Benaulim and the Builders... The exposed shuttering above and so also the claims of the law enforcing authorities.

BVAC team

Benaulim cursed with the Grace Constructions

Benaulim is graced by builders. This photo series is exposure of invasion of our land by M/s Grace Constructions. You be the judge after knowing the reality below. More facts will follow in the days to come on this blog. This is just the beginning....

Where will the water fall? On the boundry wall or beyound the boundry wall? Will the concerned authorities look in their plans which they passed without visiting the site? Or will they say "Water seeks its own Direction"? Truly, public authorities have covered their eyes with countless notes from builders. There is no other explanation as to what is happening to our Benaulim, illegalities to the left, right and centre... The mundcar next door has complained to the Panchayat. And the Panchayat is doing the merry-go-round
No setback maintained, Was the inspection carried out by panchayat? Did Technical body forget its high powered lenses spectacles? Brief cases exchanged from builder to Public authorities did the magic here!
Wells without any licence from Panchayat. Wells that dissapear during site inspections and appear subsequently. If builder can do anything in his area of construction regarding water, elecricity, roads then why is there a need of town and country planning department in Goa? Are TCP rules only for a lay man to follow and not for Builders?
Another well located at distance of 100 mts from the other without any approval from the lethargic authorities. They dig as many wells they want, draw as much water you need, free of charge because it was preserved by their forefathers who bowed down to the Portuguese regime like slaves, just to grab the vast tracts of land. Curse on these so called landlords, who allowed the erstwhile rulers to have ` a good time' with their family members just for the love of these illegimate tracts of land.

Or else show us the land records (during Portuguese regime) where its written that this land is bought from so and so person...nowhere youll see it, cause this precious land, has been looked after tenderly and irrigated with love, sweat and blood of the common man, which they are now selling to builders and hoteliers.

These lands were never bought by their forefathers, they were just gifted by Portuguese for reason you can understand...

BVAC Team

Benaulim Hunger Strike against Mega Projects

Benaulim goes to war against Mega projects, BVAC observed token hunger strike on August 18, 2008 in Benaulim. Everyone present attended the mass in the morning and then marched to the Panchayat to start the hunger strike to oppose the Mega projects in Benaulim. It's a message to the world that God can change the operating system of any human being in seconds. To tell the world that "IN GOD WE TRUST"

Mr. Soter de Souza of Centre for Panchayati Raj, Peaceful Society propagating his message of Solidarity.
Children too on fast for Benaulim...

Its a pity to see young kids attending the hunger strike giving a clear message to the higher-ups, "We Love Benaulim. Please don't destroy it Sir. You too have kids like me. Please listen to their cries. PLEASE DON'T DESTROY MY BENAULIM"
Cecilia from Cavelossim (a neighbouring village), also joined the hunger strike and lent her support to the war against Mega Projects.
Vocal Banaulekars at Hunger Strike... Jessica on the microphone
Benaulim locals in full fledged battle mode... Jackson sounding the bugle
An emotional Geraldine Fernandes speaks of how every local is going to get effected by Mega housing projects in Benaulim and how the `Benaulim Coconut' which is very famous all over Goa & Maharastra is going to vanish forever and the generation next will not get to taste it anymore. She also gave a message to the administration of local panchayat and to the MLA to listen to the People of Benaulim and not to the builders. Notice the elderly gentleman in blue squatting behind her. He is Santano Goes, an ex-panch of Benaulim. As the activists helped him to stand to address the people, his tears said it all.

Movement will continue till authorities heed to the demands of the people of Benaulim.

BVAC Team

Westwinds captures Benaulim's footpaths!

Has the TCP reformatted the Laws for Builders ? Here is an old footpath used by local residents demarcated as the setback of the Mega- project.

Entrance of footpath.

Anytime, if these temporary sheets are removed after the completion of the project and the Footpath is closed at the entrance, who is to be blamed?

BVAC Team

Sarpanch called Public! Sarpanch called Police!!

August 11, 2008 was one more historical day in the life of Benaulim village. Our dictatorial Sarpanch Carmelin Fernanades called for the meeting to discuss the pending problems with builder wanting to promote mega projects in our village. She circulated invitation to public to come for the meeting as well as brought in 2 buses of Policemen some in full fledged riot gears and armed with riffles.

Panchayat members being questioned by angry Benaulim People. Blame game being played by the Benaulim Panchayat over the question of licences to the mega projects.

And Police to protect Sarpanch alone from the dangers of citizens of Benaulim.
BVAC members in the middle of the emerging conscious citizenry of Goa
Benaulim Panchayat hall was the venue for the historic occasion wherein Sarpanch walked out of the meeting after failing on a number of counts to answer the questions of the villagers. In fact at the beginning of the meeting she even threatened to close down the meeting. And those questioning were publicly accused of instigating villagers!

This police jeep without police tag was patrolling the Panchayat.
Two buses of Police were on duty. One wonder who called them other than the Benaulim Sarpanch.

It was getting late evening when tempers were running high: villagers were loosing patience with the adamant dictatorial Sarpanch inside the hall. Police were called inside the Panchayat hall. Villagers demanded resignation of Sarpanch. She refused and walked out.
Men and women, young and old were present at the panchayat meeting. Sarpanch entirely blamed the panchayat secretaries that go on sick leave.

Women were vocal in demanding resignation of Sarpanch as well as demanding transparency in the functioning of the Benaulim Panchayat. Geraldine Fernanades even declared that Gram Sabha decision against Mega Projects is the law in the village and neither the director nor his deputy has the right to over rule. Gram Sabha decision is supreme.

Benaulim is showing a new light and a new way for a new society in Goa. Citizens in the rest of Goa has so much to learn, it is such an intense inspiration, you do not remain without being moved by these Benaulim People who have refused to be taken for a ride by the powers that be.


Sebastian Rodrigues