Blogger writer on civic issues assaulted in Goa

" Benaulim, a coastal village in South Goa, is one of the severalcoastal villages which have been resisting the construction of megaresidential projects, which villagers allege have been permitted byflouting panchayat rules and regulations. "

Wednesday, 25 February 2009 http://www.nerve.in/news:253500207783

Panaji, Feb 25 - Less than a month after an anti-mining web blogger inGoa was slapped with a Rs.5 billion defamation suit, another bloggerwas assaulted in the coastal town of Benaulim, allegedly forhighlighting civic issues.

Colva Police Inspector Edwin Colaco said Maximo Rodrigues, a civilsociety activist, was beaten up by four people Tuesday while he wastaking photographs of an illegal construction in Benaulim to be postedon his blog.

'We have arrested Raymond and David Fernandes in connection with thecomplaint filed by Maximo Rodrigues. We are on the lookout for anotherperson who was also involved in the assault,' said Colaco.

Maximo, who is a part of the Benaulim Villagers Action Committee -,runs a community blog www.bvacbenaulim.blogspot.com that highlightsissues of rampant unplanned development in Goa.

'The posts on our blog are mainly about haphazard development in thename of mega projects and illegal constructions in the coastal villageof Benaulim,' Maximo told IANS from his hospital bed.

The 42-year-old has been hospitalised for severe injuries to his headand a broken nose. He is expected to be discharged Thursday.

Maximo's blog, which has been cross-indexed with several blogs run byactivists in Goa, reads 'this blog is our cry, our call, our voice toyou wherever you are located in the world to extend your support andsolidarity with all the fighting Banaulekars. Come let's join oureffort to defend Benaulim'.

While the last two posts on the blog describe the assault on Maximo,other posts are accompanied by photographs of several instances ofalleged illegal construction, destruction of water-bodies and policeatrocities on the villagers of Benaulim.

'The blog helps us showcase the issues which affect Benaulim and arenot covered effectively in the media,' Maximo said.

'Development is fine, but constructions rabidly coming up is not. Wehave had an unprecedented number of cases of malaria in the lastcouple of years and there is simply no interest shown by theadministration in handling the disease,' he added.

Benaulim, a coastal village in South Goa, is one of the severalcoastal villages which have been resisting the construction of megaresidential projects, which villagers allege have been permitted byflouting panchayat rules and regulations.

Like Maximo, Sebastian Rodrigues, who passionately blogs aboutexcesses by iron ore mine operators in Goa's less glamouroushinterland was targeted for allegedly defaming the mining outfit andaffecting its business. He was slapped with a criminal defamation suitof Rs.5 billion in the last week of January.