NGO'S PRESSURE ALEIXO TO SCRAP 20 POINT PROGRAMME AT VERNA

MARGAO: Voice of Villagers representing the villages of Nagoa, Verna, Loutolim, Cortalim and Quelossim have urged Loutolim MLA and Power Minister Alexio Sequeira to scrap the 20-point housing project proposed at Verna.

Referring to Sequeira’s statement expressing concern over the non-employmet of locals in the Verna Industrial estate, John Philip Pereira said the existing 20-point program housing sites have been literally turned into mini-Baina and demanded that the Minister scrap the proposed 20-point housing project in the village.
“When the local villagers were crying foul over the failure by the industries at the Verna Industrial Estate to employ local youth, the MLA did not pay heed to the requests of the villagers to stop bringing industries at the estate. Now, since Sequeira has finally realized that locals are hardly employed in the Verna Estate, we make a humble appeal to him to scrap the 20-point program. Otherwise, Sequeira will realize 10 years from now that the proposed 20-point program is inhabited only by the migrants like many existing housing sites under the program”, he added.
He also demanded that the government drop the plan to acquire one lakh square meters of land at Verna for a sub station when acquired land admeasuring 33,000 sq mts is lying idle.
Meanwhile, Convenor of the Voice of Villagers Edwin Pinto told newsmen it was good that the Loutolim MLA has publicly admitted that the Verna Industries Association have failed on all fronts in regard to the Verna Industrial Estate, both in terms of its infrastructure, implementation of pollution and environmental laws as well as failure to safeguard the social fabric and demographic balance of the surrounding area.
“The Voice of Villagers wonders what Sequeira was doing for the four terms that he has presided over the Loutolim constituency as its MLA and as Chairman & Director of the GIDC Board and during his term as Industries Minister. It is shocking that he so openly admits the neglect of his responsibilities on all fronts, to his constituents in particular, and to the people of Goa in general”, Pinto said, adding “since elections are probably are round the corner, the Loutolim MLA has now awoken to proclaim a newly discovered devotion to his voters”.
He pointed out that this is the same Alexio Sequeira who only recently, publicly came out in strong support of the SEZs, even after his voters unequivocally demonstrated their total opposition to SEZs, forcing his government to bow down to public opinion by scrapping the SEZ policy for Goa. “Voice of Villagers would like him to explain why he did not insist on proper planning and environment impact assessment at that time, with a proper garbage management plan, water and power infrastructure and well oiled systems in place for strict implementation of various laws, especially considering the size and potential impact of the Verna Industrial estate”, he said, adding that though the Chief Minister and the Environment Minister have both openly admitted the failure of the government in managing the Verna Industrial Estate, the GIDC brazenly ploughs on with its plan of acquiring even more land from the luckless villagers for expansion of this malignant sore of a Verna Industrial estate. (HD)