Bharat Mukti Morcha condemns aggression on Tiracol River Ecology

Bharat Mukti Morcha takes strong objections the illegal dredging of Tiracol River in North Goa. On November 03, 2015 at around 3.55 pm illegal dredging of river was noticed. Immediately after that Tiracol member of Keri Panchayat Diego Francis Rodrigues filed complaint before Pernem deputy Collector. Deputy Collector taking cognizance of the complaint directed Pernmen Police Inspector Devendra Gad to initiate action against illegal dredging. Coastal Police as well as Captain of Ports then acted and stopped the work at around 6.30 pm. Then at around 8.30 pm in the night time illegal dredging work started back again. Public protested and fresh police complaints were lodged with in charge of police helpline 100.  According to the reports on November 04, 2015 at 8. 45 am police had taken manager and the operator of the dredging machinery into police custody.

According to the information available dredging was being carried on inside the Tiracol River in order to make way for the barges to transport ore from Aronda Jetty in Maharastra. Dredging process was initiated most likely by mining companies in order to deepen the river so that heavy high capacity barges could find their navigational route cleared through. This includes not only clearing of sand from the riverbed but also forced breading of rocks at the bottom of the Tiracol River. This is an ecological nightmare. Movement of barges in Tiracol River will lead to sure doom for fishing activities in Tiracol River. 

Bharat Mukti Morcha congratulates all those who are involved in the protest action against dredging of Tiracol River and pledges our support in defense of River, Fishing and ecology, and against mining and barge transportation in Tiracol River.

Illegal Trawler Fishing, Tourism Boats, Marinas, double standard in CRZ implementation threatens Marine and Human Life in Goa!

Bharat Mukti Morcha is deeply concerned about villagers of Agacaim, Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxi, Cacra, Odxel, Caranzalem in Tiswadi, Madkai in Ponda, Chicalim, Vasco, Sancoale and Cortalim are greatly troubled due to threats to livelihood they earn from Fishing in Zuari River using non mechanized fishing methods. Since April 2014 fishing nets of the fishermen have been cut up by water sports boats of the Hotel Grand Hyatt located in Bambolim and fishing activities disrupted. When fishermen objected to this, then Agacaim Police Inspector Devendra Gad came over to Bambolim beach on 19^th April 2014 and slapped local fisherman Vishnu Kankonkar. After that there has been a repeated fishing rights violation. In addition this Hotel Grand Hyatt has blocked access to the Cross and the Chapel by putting up fencing wall from all sides thereby violating community rights. Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has forced setting up of two private marinas inside Zuari River at Sancoale and Nauxim Coast. These marinas are for the rich and will completely disrupt our fishing activities and both the lease deeds of 12 and 14 October 2010 has safety provisions only for mining barges transportation and fishermen are not even acknowledged to exist. Life of this lease deed is 30 years. One lease at Nauxim is with Kargwal constructions Pvt Ltd and other at Sancoale is with Yacht Heaven Pvt. Ltd.

Fishermen are facing grave threats from the illegal – cum- unsustainable fishing carried on by trawlers that dig up the riverbed disrupting fish spawning and breeding site in Zuari River. Trawlers are banned from fishing within 5 kms from the coast in Arabian Sea, while there is complete ban on trawlers in rivers of Goa. Goa State is promoting illegal trawler fishing in Zuari River by refusing to station permanent patrol vessel in Zuari River. State does is not allocating Rs. 2 crores to buy Patrol boat in Zuari while sanctioned 25 crores to leading hotels to set up Golf Course in Tiracol when local people are opposing. Reports have come that traditional fishermen ‘Ramponkars’ has clashed with mechanized boat locally known as ‘Dinki’ in Arabian Sea  close to Caranzalem beach. This clash too has been due to current crisis in the Fisheries department where bamon Raj rule is in force. Entire Fisheries bureaucracy in Goa has miserably failed to protect Zuari River and Arabian Sea traditional fishermen and implement Goa, Daman and Diu Fisheries Regulation Act 1980 and the Rules framed for this Act in 1981. 

Double standards are followed in undertaking demolition in Coastal areas. In Baina, people’s houses were demolished on 26^th September 2015. In 2009 when Supreme Court ordered demolition of portion of Cidade de Goa hotel, State Government came out with Ordinance to protect this five star hotel and changed law. Ordinance was soon ratified in the Goa Legislative Assembly. Why no ordinance is passed to protect coastal dwellers? Similarly Hotel Grand Hyatt is found illegal by Goa Bench of Bombay High Court in for violating CRZ laws. Yet the Hotel is allowed to operate by paying fines. Why this double standards? BMM calls for halt to any GCZMA initiated demolitions at Katem, Baina till starred Hotels Grand Hyatt and Cidade de Goa are demolished. 

Two Mobile towers in Bambolim and Nauxim; public wants to be uprooted due to radiation. 

Jai Bharat!                Jai Mulnivasi!                          Jai Goa!

Goa Chief Minister Parsekar resign now! Tiracol Golf terror stop now!

Bharat Mukti Morcha calls upon Goa Chief Minister Laximikant Parsekar to resign immediately. This in the face of corporate  terror attack on Tiracol in North Goa border on 14/15 May 2015 midnight. The village was attacked by 50 goons, cut down the trees that were legally prohibited to do so, then constructed the road and the work is still going on even today. 

What is shocking is that this terror attack was carried on with complete backing of Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who is elected from Mandrem Constituency. Tiracol is a village in Mandrem constituency. Even though villagers got the police involved to carry on pachanama in the night itself no FIR has been registered against those 50 goons involved in the terror attack. 

Laxmikant Parsekar, who is also Home Minister and controls police has instead made sure that the work on Tiracol site goes on unhindered and terror attack is condoned. "We have no order to stop work carried on by Leading Hotels in Tiracol. Case has been referred to the Permen Mamlatdar and to the Chief Town Planner" said Police Inspector Tushar Lotlikar attached to Pernem Police Station that has jurisdiction over Tiracol. 

This is a clear indicator of clear law and order failure in the State of Goa and In this case BMM calls upon  President of India to dismiss the Goa government and impose President’s rule under the Article 356 of the Constitution of India.

Bharat Mukti Morcha's ongoing investigations has revealed that One Ganguly came to Tiracol in 2006 and cheated people and fraudulently transferred the 12 lakh square meters of land in the name of his company. Then tried unsuccessfully to get approval of the Kerim - Tiracol Pachayat. Village Gram Sabha opposed the move to build Golf course and Luxury hotel villas in Tiracol. Ganguly then contacted Laxmikant Parsekar who was then just an MLA beside BJP party president. Parsekar struck a deal with Golf promoter Ganguly from Kolkata. 

The deal was as follows: BJP will come to power in Goa with full majority. Parsekar can give all the necessary permissions to construct Golf Course. But for this right away Ganguly has to fund Prasekar's elections from Mandrem constituency. Ganguly funded Parsekar's election campaign by putting in Rs.2 crore. Together with this Parsekar's wife Smita Parsekar was offered to function as Director of leading hotels replacing Sachin Parab, son of Sangeeta Parab,  former MLA of Mandrem Constituency. Now perfect setting was in place. Husband is Chief Minister as well as Home Minister. Wife is a Director of Leading Hotels. We leave it in the hands of CBI to carry on further investigations. This much we came to know through reliable sources. All the permissions from State government including EIA was granted by BJP government ruled by Manohar Parrikar, current India's defence Minister. Even permissions were granted to dug 30 wells accessing ground water in Tiracol that can be pumped out and village rendered high and dry any time like Hotel Grand Hyatt to Andrade family in Bambolim.

It is most plausible that after National Green Tribunal and Administrative Tribunal via their respective orders made the possibility of implementation of the golf project impossible Director of the Leading Hotels consulted the Home Minister who is also a life partner, a husband. The way out that came out of the consultation is extra-constitutional strategy to deploy terror by 50 goons.

Now after the terror attack on Tiracol Goa CM is adamant as he was in case of 108 agitation few months ago. In fact he is in a fix. For he has two formidable enemies in order to go for registration of FIR. First is his election funder Ganguly and second is his wife Smita who is company's director. In addition a prior understanding that public pressure will not exceed the permissible limits and this piece of information will never be shared and hence public will continue to be confused in dark - a sort of situation that arises in political situation of 'contended ignorance' as British Philosopher James Stuart Mill puts it.

Your game is over Mr.CM. No one can fool all the people all the time. Your time is up. People of Goa are fed up of you (as you are serving the people of Goa as CM) Goa is not your own. It is of the people, by the people and for the people, and it will remain so forever. So step down immediately. Let Goa live in Peace. As the future generations will know that a fraud (fraudulent) CM is no more. You are investment destination of Leading Hotels. Leading hotels has made lead investment on your elections and turned you into corporate agent (चमचा). कांशीराम भरोबर होता. (Kanshiram was right.) 

Dear People of Tiracol Bharat Mukti Morcha stands on firm grounds with you. Fraudulency will never have a stand of truth. Remain united with everyone in the village and unity will give success to drive Ganguly and Parsekar out of Tiracol. And the chapter of CM will end here with Tiracol. 

Long Live Tiracol! Jai Mulnivasi!

Pune Speech of Maggie Silveira, President, Bharat Mukti Morcha, Goa State delivered at 3rd Annual conference of Rashtriya Mulnivasi Mahila Sangh

 The text of Goa State Bharat Mukti Morcha President Maggie Silveira’s speech at 3^rd Annual conference of Rashtriya Mulnivasi Mahila Sangh held at Swargate, Pune on 17^th May 2015. This is an English translation of original speech in Hindi addressing over 6,000 delegates from various parts of India.

Jai Mulnivasi! I am Maggie Silveira, President of Bharat Mukti Morcha, Goa State.  On the dais, Hon.Waman Meshram, Smt. Kavita Singh IAS, Director, N.R.H.M., Ministry of Health, New Delhi (Our Chief Guest), Hon.Nisha Meshram, All Women sitting on dais, and all Women and Men present in this Auditorium. 

Freedom for women is very important. Women needs freedom from their husbands. B.M.Kamble sir on 3^rd December 2010 organized one day cadre camp at Dulapi, Tiswadi, spoke in detail about Bharat Mukti Morcha and BAMCEF and I got fully convinced on what B.M.Kamble spoke about Bamons is highly true and that’s the day I decided to join Bharat Mukti Morcha. I had no doubts on what B.M.Kamble spoke.

Today’s topic “Without creating nation-wide women’s organization transformation is impossible in India: a serious discussion”. I have a question to every man who is present here: have each man who is sitting here in this auditorium, have they come with their wives, sisters, daughters? If yes, then it is very good, excellent. If no, it is very bad and very sad. Freedom does not come for free; we have to pay the price. That is why it is very important to set the women free. In this country Varna system and Jati system is developed by making women as its base and for its development, women are used as an asset and after using women in this way a strong Bamani system is founded. It is not possible to end that system personally. To end this there is need to generate an organized force. This will be possible by forming an organization. Only then big transformation is possible. That’s why this subject is placed for discussion.

Its our responsibility to involve in freedom movement, all the women has to be set free as all the women has right to be free. To attain such freedom we have to fight ourselves. Savitribai Phule was well known amongst Britishers for her poetry in English. Savitribai Phule made an opening for education for women. We must all be grateful to Savitribai Phule as it is through her education got imparted to the entire womanhood in India and beyond in spite of strong blocks of Bamons, she excelled and contributed to Jyotibha Phule’s movement and even lead the movement for five years after Jyotibha’s death. That’s why she is honored with title ‘Krantijyoti’.

Eurasian bamons has made mulnivasis slaves. We women are enslaved by these very Eurasian bamons who has not allowed us to move forward in society in India. Now the time has come to know who is our friend, who is our enemy.

Our Hon.Waman Meshram sir said in Goa positive thinking is very important, with positive thinking we can move ahead in society. 

Bharat Mukti Morcha is highly advancing in Goa from all fronts. Our freedom struggle, agitation, movement, goes in this following direction.

Our Archbishop of Goa Felipe Neri Ferrao has sold our fields 3,00,275 square meters of land which is a  sold to Mahendra Gaunekar who is also a Bamon like Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao for peanuts. All this is in Vanxim island in Tiswadi taluka. Mahendra Gaunkar then sold it to Ozone corporate for crores of rupees. The project that was to come to come up was worth 900 crore include Golf Course, recreational club, private marinas, spas, villas (each villa costing 22 crore), casinos, prostitution, Helipad etc. We went to survey number 8 that is a water bodies with professional cameras and got the report of survey number 8 and filed objections before Chief Town Planner, facilitation centre, Chief Secretary that we object the same.

Bharat Mukti Morcha is involved in diverse interventions in various problems in nearly 19 villages of Goa – Cacra, Odxel, Bambolim, Siridao, Curca, Nauxim, Agassaim, Goa Velha, Santa Cruz, Taleigao, Dona Paula, Sancoale, Cortalim, Baina, Kharewada-Vasco, Tiracol, Ribandar, Diwar, Vanxim etc. 

In Mandovi river there is looming disaster planned again by Bamons is called Pontoon. Now, what is Pontoon? It is floating bridge that is 18 meters long and 10 meters deep. No EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) is carried on. In spite of this permission is given by Captain of Ports and Chairman of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority. Scientist Antonio Mascarenhas has prepared detail report of how bad this Pontoon and need for full-fledged EIA report. His study observed that this pontoon is going to promote soil erosion and affect nearby residents.  But he has been over ruled and permission granted, and asked to plant 200 mangrove saplings.

Five villages Cacra, Nauxim, Siridao, Odxel, Bambolim, most of them fishermen; there is illegal fishing activities going on as trawlers come regularly. 30 trawlers, 28 trawlers, 25 trawlers, 20 trawlers, 19 trawlers, 15 trawlers, 10 trawlers, 5 trawlers, 3 trawlers were coming on everyday basis and troubling the traditional fishermen cutting off their nets which then needs repairs. Main grievance with trawling is that it destroys marine ecology by dragging the riverbed and in fact it is banned in rivers and even  in sea within 5 kms zone.  Having met the director Sharmila Monteiro on couple of occasions followed b y secretary fisheries Amjat Tak IAS we managed to stop these trawlers to a great extend. Director of fisheries Sharmila Monteirao is continuously supporting the trawlers in spite of Bharat Mukti Morcha’s strong intervention. We condemn Director of Fisheries Sharmila Monteiro for supporting the trawlers and indulging in mismanagement of fisheries causing harm to the traditional fishermen through promotion of compromises.

Hotel Grand Hyatt is involved in promoting water sports in Zuari river where traditional fishermen do fishing. Hotel’s Water sports boats including those of aqua sail are regular irritating nuisance to local fishermen. Aqua sail sometimes operate their motored boats in their own uniforms while after complaints from Bharat Mukti Morcha they are operating in plain clothes. In both cases it is illegal. Yet Director of Fisheries Sharmila Monteiro tells us that they are not the same people even though we have photographic  evidence to prove that they are the same people in plain clothes. Again we condemn Sharmila Monteiro along with Hotel Grand Hyatt, their nexus.

On May 07, 2015 Fisher people along Vasco bay at Kharewada abandoned by all the political parties joined Bharat Mukti Morcha. Murmagao Port Trust (MPT) in order to expand is involved in series of demolitions of houses of coastal dwellers including of traditional fishermen. Bharat Mukti has objected in writing to MPT plans of conquest and war on all the coastal dwellers fishermen and others in Baina, Kharewada, Desterro, etc.

Bharat Mukti Morcha is also involved in protests against Marinas at Bambolim and Sancoale promoted by MPT. Marinas are dockyards for hundreds of luxury Yachts of super rich people from all over the world on visit to Goa. Marinas has threatened to put full stop to fishing activities in Zuari River thereby putting large number of fishermen out of livelihood. This is form of river grab just like land grab in Mopa, Pernem taluka of Goa for Greenfield international airport.

In Tiracol, Bharat Mukti Morcha protested corporate terrorist violent attack at the wee hours of 1.00 am on 15^th May 2015 morning by 50 goons funded by Leading Hotels corporate cutting down trees and constructing road overnight violating legal ban on Golf Course and luxury villas work. 

All these projects of displacement camouflaged as development are master minds of Bamons and executed with political parties that are impotent to defend mulnivasi interests of land and river, housing and agriculture. They no longer defend public interest. 

On October 29, 2011 Hon.Waman Meshram inaugurated blog of Bharat Mukti Morcha www.bharatmukti.blogspot.in and so far it has crossed 46,000 hits. This blog in English has detail information on advancement of Bharat Mukti Morcha in Goa. This blog id must be published in Mulnivasinayak so that mulnivasi people reading the newspaper are kept updated on Goa situation and our work in Goa.

In this way women must know histories; who are our friends, who are our enemies, who are our enemies but pretend as if they are our friends as it just happened in Goa where people whom we considered as our friends betrayed us but we marched ahead and came out triumphant.

Jai Mulnivasi! Jai Bharat! Jai Goa!

Bharat Mukti Morcha protests corporate terrorist violence at Tiracol

Bharat Mukti Morcha stands in Solidarity with Tiracol People.  A total of 50 strong men or bouncers recruited by Leading Hotels Pvt Ltd from villages of Maharashtra, Keri and Arambol invaded Tiracol village, north Goa, at 1.00 a.m in the early hour of 15th morning with heavy earthmoving equipment as per reports from Dr.Claude Alvares.

The site is proposed for a five star golf resort by Leading Hotels Pvt Ltd and the American hotel chain, Four Seasons.
The team brazenly cut an illegal road through tenanted properties and forest areas. After the police were called, the work was halted but not before the road was complete through the forest and tenanted fields. The entire village assembled at the spot to protest the action despite the early hour. Police prepared a panchanama as the action violated orders of the National Green Tribunal to maintain status quo and similar orders of the administrative tribunal in tenancy cases.

The incident has shocked all the persons from the village with this demonstration of an entirely new form of Corporate Social Responsible Terrorism (CSRT): When the entire village of Tiracol sleeps corporate unleash terror attack.

The same morning entire village of Tiracol has proceeded to the panchayat office to ensure that the panchayat takes action. At the moment Keri-Tiracol panchayat has seven members. Only one panch member is allocated to the entire village of Tiracol while six members belong to the Keri village. The resort owner has successfully been able to influence the Keri panch members so that resolutions are passed in favour of the project despite protest from the lone panch member from Tiracol. The village community has therefore proceeded to lodge its combined protest against the illegal action of the Leading Hotels.

Bharat Mukti Morcha has taken serious note of the gravity of the situation and condemns corporate violence in Tiracol.