Its victory for traditional fishermen in Zuari river!

Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM) congratulates Goa Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyenkar on effective action taken  to crackdown on illegal fishing in Zuari river based on complaints from traditional fishermen. Mr. Palyenkar on September 08, 2017 acted efficiently and issued note threatening departmental action against the officer concerned and the Director of Fisheries.

This note was followed by recommendation to the State Government suspension of Director of Fisheries Shamila Monteiro on September 14, 2017. Fishermen on Zuari coast from Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxim, Cacra, and Odxel has been petitioning Department of Fisheries from 2013 onwards on various issues threatening Fishing in Zuari but department did not act. In fact Shamila Monteiro’s tenure as Director of Fisheries is marked with series of U-turns.  She worked very hard to cancel the fuel subsidies of traditional fishermen. Subsidies must be retained back. Her illegalities are huge and she should never be allowed back to harass the traditional fishermen as enough is enough for what she did from 2014 till her suspension in 2017.

She repeatedly played pranks on traditional fishermen with regard to Patrol boats to stop illegal fishing. It was on regular basis that Patrol boats from the Fisheries department as well as from marine police were highly irresponsible to function in spite of repeated phone calls from the traditional fishermen.

Mr.Vinod Palyekar, Minister for Fisheries and WRD has proved in action to understand the Zuari river. He has demonstrated that he is responsible to root out prevailing corruption from Fisheries department and provide Justice to traditional Fishermen. This trend of Mr. Vinod Palyenkar is highly appreciated by the traditional fishermen.

BMM maintains that performance of current Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyenkar is better than his predecessor Avertano Furtado who betrayed traditional fishermen in river Zuari.

Great action from Goa Fisheries Minister on Zuari illegal fishing

After repeated letters of complaints and direct phone calls Minister of Fisheries Vinod Palyekar cracked a whip against Director of Fisheries on September 08, 2017. Strangely one who was protecting illegal fishing is Director of Fisheries herself. Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM) has spoken out consistently in defense of traditional fishermen on the banks of Zuari river. 

BMM appreciates this bold action of Goa Fisheries Minister that will go a long way towards retaining of sustainability of Zuari river ecology as well as fisheries. BMM also places on record gratitude to the Minister of Fisheries for this action.

There is a need for complete clean up of the Department of Fisheries with Judicial investigations as to why Director of Fisheries Dr. Shamila Monteiro was protecting illegal fishing over the past three years after identifying those involved in the transgressions. There is a need to asses damage caused to ecology of zuari by permitting illegal trawlers and costs must be recovered from her assets.

Arrested Sabaji Shetye's Vanxim connections must be probed

On June 06, 2017 evening media broke the news that Additional Collector Sabaji Shetye arrested by Anti-Corruption Bureau. He allegedly demanded the bribe of Rs. 1.50 lakh but was paid Rs.25,000/- to process N.O.C for explosive license. News spread like a wild fire across Goa and beyond particularly because he was known to operate suspicious manner but was never caught by authorities. 

We know him from the time he was a deputy Collector in Panjim. It was his court that Vanxim tenancy cases were heard for the Condonation of delay to re-start the proceedings in 1995 cases. Sabaji Shetye played this role in highly suspicious manner. Sabaji one by one went on passing orders granting condonation of delay to benefit Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone corporate after the office of the Archbishop betrayed People of Vanxim by selling island bunds and Paddy fields to Mahendra Gaunekar in highly secretive manner.

We know the conduct of Sabaji Shetye in Ligorio Silveira v/s Mahendra Gaunekar case No: TNC/DYCL/APPL/74/2009. He granted condonation of delay even though he had no powers to do so. In fact it was then Lawyer of Mahendra Gaunekar who is now a High Court Judge  pointed out in Administrative Tribunal President that the office of the Deputy Collector has no powers to grant condonation of delay.

In this manner Sabaji Shetye has betrayed public. Now we know that he has a habit of accepting bribe. It is plausible to conclude from his conduct in Ligorio Silveira case, and other Vanxim cases that Sabaji Shetye has accepted the favors in kind or cash to pass order granting condonation of delay favoring Mahendra Gaunekar. This he did even without powers to do so. Powers lies with Administrative Tribunal.

Now that Sabaji Shetye’s character is publicly exposed it is a must that all his decisions be reviewed; for he played a role of tiny conduit strip down Vanxim tenants of the legal titles by subjecting them to prolonged litigations. It is based on Sabaji Shetye’s mischief that Vanxim people are deprived of land titles of their land. The question is; how much money Sabaji has taken from Mahendra Gaunekar or his agents in order to grant condonation of delay?

It is because of this situation that Vanxim has been punished through inclusion under Investment Promotion Board. Board members led by Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of Goa are under what Giorgos Kallis calls the spell of “Growth Curse”.  Its pretty evident that he is under the spell of Growth curse considering that he doesn’t care for butchering of several hundreds of trees to expand highways connecting Agassaim to Verna for a new Zuari bridge. Cortalim highway stretch has witnessed mass cutting down of trees too. Earlier nearly 100 trees were cut down to widen the road from Bambolim to Dona Paula via Goa University. Now, additionally 900 trees are declared will be cut down to widen highway connecting Cortalim to Vasco by Public Works Department (PWD) headed by Minister Sudhin Dhavlekar.  When there are already tow functioning bridges over Mandovi there was no need to construct the third one by wasting public financial resources.

Goa Government is sending its annual jaunts to Cannes in France to learn as to how to go about organizing International Film Festival of India (IFFI). How come it never came in the mind of Goa Government think tanks learn lessons from Grenoble city in France that has replaced Bill boards with trees? Why the nasty Billboard are occupying spaces in Goa next to public road while trees are being cut down? Why these Billboards are not razed to the ground, uprooted and trees planted?

IFFI has only extended underworld mafia from Bombay to Goa and today controls number of Politicians in insidious manner. This is the reason as to why Gambling legalized in Goa by BJP supported Francisco Sardinha government in 1990s still continues to wreck havoc with social, economic, cultural and ecological fabric of Goa. 

Anyway, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is not alone to be spell bound by Growth Curse. The rest of members too are equally likely to be under the curse. They are Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar, Industries Minister Rohan Khunte, and Representatives from Industry on IPB Atrey Sawant, Ernest Dias, Yatin Kakodkar, Girish Bharne, Rajkumar Kamat and Kaman Shekar Sardessai. The IAS officers who are on the board are Secretary (Industry) and Secretary (Tourism) whose unofficial role is to collect money bags for Central Government on the same lines that Manohar Parrikar said sometime ago that MoEF officials are collecting brief cases to grant EC clearances to mining companies in Goa. Same logic applies to IPB. 

According to highly placed source at IPB, the political role of handing over large tracks of Goa’s land for corporate houses is to make sure that Goa is ruled by non-Goans in next five years and students passing out from Engineering Colleges in are gainfully employed in Goa.  In fact it looks that the essential qualification needed to be on IPB is to be under Growth Curse spell. Sabaji Shetye played his role to please his masters – political and economic. Now it is surprising that he is caught red handed in bribery case; perhaps he was becoming too greedy and keeping all the booty from corruption to himself without demanded share by higher ups. 

Now with Sabaji Shetye’s arrest all the orders he passed have now come under nail of suspicion. His orders condoning delays in Vanxim tenancy cases involving Mahendra Gaunekar must be revoked and land titles reverted back to the People of Vanxim. This is a rare occasion for the State and the Archbishop of Goa to apply their minds and embark on correction path as corruption and bribery of Sabaji Shetye is caught red handed.

Handing over Vanxim Island for the pleasure of the rich by putting Five star hotel and luxury villas in Paddy fields and green areas is certain tragedy of the commons. According to Giorgos Kallis in his book in defence of degrowth: Opinions and Minifestos (Open Commons: March 2017) writes “ Nobel laureate in Economics Elinor Ostrom showed that the commons do not inevitably end up in tragedy and they do not have to be privatized or managed by the State. The communities she studied, more often than not, found ways to pool efforts together, devise their own institutions, and govern their shared resources sustainably.”

Archbishop of Goa talks often of nurturing of small christian communities but cares a damn that his office has sold off Vanxim community cultivation land and fishing spaces to a neighborhood Casino Gambler at Altinho, Panjim where Archbishop resides to gamble his way through at the cost of Public Interest. In sale deed as well as in Agreement to sale it is carefully concealed that buyer of Vanxim is Archbishop's neighbour in Altinho, Panjim.

Disgusting state of affairs as this is not the first time Goa Archbishop’s office has done things this way. Why till date lead of secrecy is not lifted on the documents related to Vanxim sale? Why the office of Archbishop has created situation to put itself in public embarrassment? Why the office of the Goa Archbishop kept letters it sent to Vatican asking permissions from Pope John Paul II with all attached documents kept in concealed state? Why letter from the office of Pope John Paul II authorizing sale of Vanxim kept secret? Pope John Paul II is now a saint and it is strange that this correspondence has been kept secret?

The way nexus of the office of the Goa Archbishop is involved with corporate and negotiated the State agencies is a way to consolidate its path to Capitalism. Giorgos Kallis has put the context very succinctly “The frightening reality is that capitalism is a mad joke peddled by money-addicts with no clue of why they are doing what they are doing, other than that they are doing it and that they have to keep doing it.” Vanxim fits the bill.

Sabaji Shetye is not alone Government officer under scanner on Vanxim scam. Sanjeev Desai too is involved. You may click here for more on him. No Goa government officer involved in Vanxim scam must go unpunished.

BMM objections to Jindal's coal handling at MPT

Date: 29^th April 2017

To,

The Member Secretary

Goa State Pollution Control Board,

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Objections to Proposed Terminal Capacity Enhancement at Berth 5A-6A of Mormugao Port, Mormugao, Goa

I place my objections to the above mentioned subject as under:

1.    Chapter 1 of the EIA of the above proposal prepared by WAPCOS Limited (A Government of India Undertaking, 76 C, Sector 18, Gurgaon – 122015, Haryana, India states “Mormugao Port is a Major Port on the West Coast of India has completed 125 years of glorious service to the nation’s maritime trade.”  MPT was never part of nation’s maritime trade for 125 years. It became part of India only in 1961 when India annexed Goa through conquest. Before that it was developed to serve Colonial powers Portugal and England for colonial purpose. Declaring 125 years as glorious service to nation’s maritime trade is politically objectionable as it is vague. Which nation did MPT served gloriously for 125 years?

2.    EIA Chapter 1 further states “JSW Energy Ltd. (JSWEL) is the first Independent Power Producer (IPP) set up in the state of Karnataka. The company has set up 2 units of 130 MW each and two units of 300 MW each and all these units are generating power using Corex gas and coal.” So it is assumed that these MPT berths will be used for the import of coal for this independent power producer in Karnataka. Goa should not be allowed to suffer due to coal for this power producer.

3.    EIA Chapter 1 continues “Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) is strategically located to cater to the needs of the coal requirement of steel and power plants of its hinterland in Karnataka. Although MPT is ideally located to serve the industries in the hinterlands of Karnataka, a lot of cargo including coal is imported through some of the ports situated in eastern coast of India despite the fact that the rail distance from these port to the industries are much more compared to Mormugao Port.” So Goa is only the corridor for Coal. We oppose making Goa corridor for Coal.

4.    EIA Chapter 1 continues “Imports/Exports through Capesize vis-à-vis Panamax vessels will result in freight advantage and thereby the industries stand to benefit.” So Goa no way benefits. Only industries stand to benefit. People of Goa do not stand to benefit. They stand to loose their health due to coal pollution.

5.    Chapter of the mentioned EIA continues “The dust barrierisation and pollution prevention-control of the existing facility will also be brought to the level of state-of-art protection to ensure lesser total pollution from the proposed facility.” So currently it is not at the level of state-of-art protection. And even after bringing in state-of-art protection pollution will not be stopped. So what is the use of inducting state-of-art protection? JSW existing operations at these ports must be stopped, EC must be denied for expansion.

6.    EIA studies must be comprehensive and not fragmented. Fragmented impact assessment is deceptive and misleading. Currently WAPCOS has done three EIA studies: two for MPT and one for JSW in a fragmented manner.

7.    Above mentioned EIA of JSW in Chapter 2 states ““Mormugao Port Trust (MoPT) is strategically located to cater the needs of the coal requirement of steel and power plants of its hinterland in Karnataka.” Just because MPT is strategically located Goa must not be abused through coal pollution and heightened risk to life.

8.    Chapter 2 of this EIA notes “MPT has taken up the dredging of the approach channel and the port area for permitting navigation of Cape Size Vessels of up to 180,000 DWT.” Dredging for channel deepening has already destroyed bio-diversity as per study report submitted to NGT in this matter. No dredging of Arabian Sea must be permitted to be carried on by MPT or anybody else.

9.    Further Chapter 2 continues ““MPT has proposed to deepen the approach channel to suit the navigational requirements of Capesize vessels. The outer channel which are having present depth of -14.4 m will be deepened to -19.8 m and the inner Channel from -14.1 m to -19.5 m. This will facilitate navigation of Capesize Vessels at any state of the tide.” The success of this project depends upon commitment from MPT to deepen the approach channel. So when one is inter-dependent upon another why have Public Hearings fixed separately?

10. Chapter 2 of mentioned EIA continues “Ships presently calling at the Berths are generally up to 80,000 – 90,000 DWT (Panamax size vessels). Consequent upon the completion of dredging for the draft depth of 19.8m by Mormugao Port, the port would be able to handle cape size vessels up to 180,000 DWT capacities.” What are the ecological, environmental and social costs of this dredging from 14.1 m to 19.5 m ? There is no data in the EIA on this subject.

11. Silent feature listed in the above mentioned JSW EIA under Chapter 2 as “No additional land area or waterfront is involved” is deceptive as the project is entirely dependent upon dredging of water front by MPT and that is impacts not discussed here jointly is clearly dubious.

12. JSW EIA states in Chapter 2 “Break Bulk Cargo (Import Cargo) (Coal, Coke, Coking Coal, Limestone, Iron Ore, Bauxite, Dolomite etc.)” This has been the scene of pollution for Vasco for very long and source of public outcry. This is ridiculous, adding insult to the injury!

13. This EIA further notes in Chapter 2 “Steel Slab / Coil, Steel Finished Products (Export Cargo)” So here is export of steel manufactured in Karnataka exported through MPT. Goa is just a corridor. Why Goa has to suffer as corridor for coal?

14. Chapter 2 of JSW EIA states “The maximum fully laden vessel draft that can be accommodated within the harbour at all stages of the tide is 13.4 m allowing for under-keel clearances. However, vessels are sometimes loaded up to 14.1 m draft, departing only on the high tide. However, the present channel is planned to accommodate the Cape Size vessels with a dredged depth of -19.8 m. Once dredging is completed the Cape Size vessels would call upon the Port.” Once again there is reference to the dredging, so the three Public Hearings must be joint as ground operations are joined and dependent upon one and another.

15. Chapter 2 of JSW EIS continues “In the recent years the International price for Iron Ore has gone down appreciably. This has made import of the Iron Ore at low prices to the Indian Sub-continent affordable. The Western Australian and Brazilian Iron Ore with higher Iron content has made the life of steel makers’ lot easier.” So because of lowered price of iron life of steel makers is lot easier. Do people of Vasco has to suffer pollution only because of lowered price of iron ore?

16. Chapter 2 of this EIA of JSW further states “The main importer of coal through Mormugao Port is JSW Steel located at Vijayanagar, Karnataka.” So to serve JSW Goa has to surrender and sacrifice itself as corridor? This is ridiculous and must stop.

17. Further JSW EIA makes it very categorical disclosure ““Coal importers stand to gain substantial freight advantage by deploying Capesize vessels.” What does Goa and our People stand to gain? We cannot even breathe fresh air in Vasco because of Coal air pollution. Destiny of Goa cannot be left in the hands of Coal importers. Coal import from Vasco MPT Port must be stopped immediately.

18. Chapter 3 of this EIA points to “presence of coliform oranisms in two out of five samples indicates anthropogenic source of pollution.” This is an evidence of ground water pollution.

19. Table 3.41 in this EIA dealing with Fishermen population in the study area completely ignores Fishermen population in Madkai, Agassaim, Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxim, Carcra, Odxel, Dona Paula and Caranzalem. For what reason the entire fishing villages are omitted from EIA? This is unacceptable and very dangerous way of conducting EIA.

20. Chapter 04 of this JSW EIA has points “potential sources of environmental impact from operations may include shipping movements, discharge of wastewater and solid waste, accidental spillage, cargo unloading/loading and storage, noise pollution, air pollution due to material transfer and handling.” When all impacts are listed and are known this JSW project must be rejected.

21. Chapter 04 further states “the accidental spillage of oil or fuel from construction machinery that may run off into near-by surface and groundwater water bodies and/or uncontrolled liquid effluents from the construction site.” So the possibility of ground water pollution is admitted in EIA itself. This is again dangerous and unacceptable.

22. Chapter 04 further states “potential sources of impacts on marine water quality during the Port operations are:

§  Disposal of Jetty related wastes

§  Disposal of ship generated wastes

§  Escapement of cargo, and

§  Effluent from coal stack yard”.

           These are enough reasons to anticipate diversity of polluting effects.

23. Chaper 04 of the above mentioned EIA further states “The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the protocol of 1978 (MARPOL, 73/78), has issued guidelines for prevention of Marine Pollution.” Present record of enforcement of this law is dismal. Several barges release their waste and fuel into Mandovi and Zuari rivers. Barges through left over ore into these rivers and also into Cumbharjua river. Barges are washed in the middle of rivers causing pollution of water and environmental hazard. Violations from ships carrying ore are known even to the highest authority at MPT and yet this law is not enforced and pollution is ignored. We quote here former Chairman of MPT from his exclusive interview to Herald in Goa on 17/06/2015 “People should also understand that there are so many shipyards not following environmental laws, besides there are barges along the Zuari river bay and each of these barges has created health hazards, environmental hazards besides pollution. These aspects are ignored.” These aspects are ignored by MPT itself and possibility of enforcement is zero. Hence this project must be rejected EC by MoEF.

24. On page 4-12 of this EIA it is stated “any fishing within the Jetty limits will be prohibited for safety and security reasons.” This is a direct admission of project that is bias against fishing and fishermen. Furthermore there has already been restrictions placed on fishermen in Mandovi and Zuari rivers where ore transportation is carried on through barges.

25. Page 4-15 states “Coal dust needs to be cleaned regularly from coal stack pile areas using water sprays. The water can be channeled from various locations and brought to a common point for treatment prior to disposal.” From which locations in Goa the water is going to be brought for spraying of coal is no disclosed.

26. The same page 4-15 admits air pollution from Coal “During unloading and storage at

            coal stockyard, the following sources/activities could lead to air pollution:

·         Dust caused by displacement of air

·         Dust blown out by the wind

·         Wind erosion from disposal sites”

27. This air pollution has turned Vasco city into a ghost town turning everything black and caused enormous health and environmental hazard. Goa cannot afford to be a corridor for coal. Dust blows already caused so much of public outcry. In China some cities are so polluted that blue sky is invisible. Companies make business selling packed plastic bags of pure air imported from Canada. Several Children born after 1992 in Beijing have not seen the Sun. Its all smog due to air pollution. Is that way we are heading?

28. Page 4-16 states “Water sprinkling dust suppression systems will be provided at strategic transfer points.” How much water will be used for sprinkling? From where the water will be supplied for sprinkling?

29. Page 5-1 states “The collected oily matter is stored in cans, etc. and disposed at the landfill sites designated by the district administration.” Oil waste will be disposed off in Goa. Where in Goa it will be disposed off? No answers available in EIA.

30. Page 5-5 states “All the solid wastes arising in the premises shall be properly classified and handed over to Goa Municipal Corporation for disposal.” Goa Municipal Corporation does not exist. This is fraud committed by JSW.

31. Pages 5-5 and 5-6 states “The reduction in the emissions is achieved by continuous spraying of water so that the surface remains moist and the dust gets suppressed.” This entire process is of spraying of water to achieve reduction in the emissions places huge pressure on Goa’s water sources. Goa can’t afford to waste precious water on dozing off perennial coal fires. Hence JSW handling of coal in Goa must be stopped. How much water will be needed for spraying annually?

32. On page 5-2 to 5-3 there is promise “The project authorities will work closely with representatives from the community living in the vicinity of project area to identify areas of concern and to mitigate dust-related impacts effectively (e.g., through direct meetings, utilization of construction management and inspection program, and/or through the complaint response program)”. The grammar of this is in future tense: the project authorities will work closely. JSW has been functioning at MPT from 2001 onwards. Why from that time till date no representatives from community living in the vicinity involved? On the contrary there is tension with the entire community in Vasco due to air pollution caused by Coal. Tension with local community is visible here. Further boiling could throw situation out of control.

33. Figure 5.1: Water sprinkler system at ship unloader facility. From where water will be supplied? What is the annual requirement?

34. Figure 5.2 A: The water spray/mist system in the berth hopper for dust suppression. From where water will be supplied? What is the annual requirement?

35. Figure 5.2 B: The water spray arrangement on the berth conveyor with the dust hood. From where water will be supplied? What is annual requirement?

36. Figure 5.2 C: Water spray system at the transfer towers and conveyor systems. From where the water will be supplied? What is the annual requirement?

37. Figure 5.3: Layout showing sprinkler system for open stack yards. From where the water will be supplied? What is the annual requirement?

38. Page 5-14 states “The water spraying is done periodically only to dowse the fire during stack piling.” This means there is burning coal involved. This is an insult to Goa and scandal to ecology.

39. Page 5-17 states “Mobilization procedures are required only in case the spill is likely to affect the coastline and damage the marine sensitive areas.” Possibility of oil spill affecting the coastline and damaging marine sensitive areas is very real and dangerous scenarios could result.

40. Page 5-18 states “Prepare releases for public and press conferences”. So this is a way public and press is going to be controlled? Is it brainwashing and manipulation of public opinion?

41. Same page 5-18 further states “The National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP) describes the responsibilities of ports handling petroleum and its products. Indian Coast Guard is the Central Coordinating Agency for marine response.” So Oil spill can result in very serious disaster.

42. Figure 5.6 presents Water balance diagram during the operation phase with MPT as credited source. JWS requires 3 lakh litres of water daily for dust suppression and additional 1 lakh litres of water for fire fighting. Monthly requirement for fire fighting will be 30 lakh litres of water. While requirement for 365 days will be 365 lakh litres of water. Monthly requirement of water for dust suppression at the rate of stated figures of 3 lakh litres per day amounts to 90 lakh litres of water. While requirement for a year (365 days) it increases to 10,95,00,000 litres. Annual requirement of water for dust suppression and fire fighting totals to 14,60,00,000 litres per year. All this water is to be sourced from Goa. This is unacceptable. When water tanker comes to localities each family not even get 200 litres of water per day. Several schools children have no access to running water in toilets. Yet Jindals will be using water for the destruction of Humanity.

43.  This Jindals project has no benefit to Goa and hence must be rejected. Project proponents and Government officials are colluding to destroy Goa. GSPCB has intentionally fixed three separate Public Hearings in order to harass people of Vasco and beyond. EIA report of this project is fraudulent document. GSPCB should have assessed this report prior to Public Hearing. Cumulative EIA needs to be prepared rather than three separate EIAs.

Based on above grounds we strongly oppose proposed Terminal Capacity enhancement at berth 5A, 6A of Mormugao Port Trust by M/s South West Port Ltd, Mormugao- Harbour, Goa. However in spite of such a credible public objection if this project of JSW still gets EC from MoEF then it would be one more confirmation of corruption in MoEF as publicly alleged in press by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on 06/09/2012 that MoEF is a corrupt Ministry and grants EC clearances based on collection of bribes from corporate and turns blind eye to rampant illegalities in Goa.

Moreover Jindals project at MPT represents return of Peshwayee in India. We are in the 199^th year of the destruction of Peshwayee in the battle of Bhima Koregaon at the outskirts of Pune. It is fitting that MoEF reject EC to JSW for this project.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,

      Sd/-

Maggie Silveira

President

Goa Unit

Pope Francis petitioned on Vanxim Scandal: 'Injustice is not invincible', Laudato Sí

22^nd April 2016

To,

His Holiness Pope Francis

Apostolic Palace,

VATICAN CITY,  EUROPE.    Fax: +00390669882417

Injustice is not invincible, Laudato Sí, Para 74

Dear Holy Father Pope Francis,

Warm Greetings of Peace and Solidarity from Goa, India!

Inspired by your encyclical Laudato Sí we seek your attention to few points in your capacity as Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church.

1.      Our Island in Mandovi river is sold by Goa Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao without informing us in most cunning manner.  We islanders for many centuries lived in harmony by tilling the land. Tilling as you have explored in Laudato Sí in Para 66.

2.      Our Island has an area of 7,24,850 square meters of land. We have Santus Cristus Church listed on page 795 of the Catholic Directory  of India 2013 prepared by Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI) with stated catholic population as 92. The remaining people of island share other faiths.

3.      Press Statement of the Archbishop’s House, Panjim dated January 02, 2016 states that Holy See has granted permission to sell our island in 1997 (vide letter Prot.  No. 1466/97 dated  08/04/1997). This is in response to Application made by the Archdiocesan authorities. Till date even though 19 years has passed by Goa Archdiocesan Authorities has never shared the letters from Holy See with the People of Vanxim island. Did Holy See approve selling of Vanxim for converting it into luxury hotel, luxury villas, Golf Course and Golf Club, Private Marinas, and Casinos ? Did then Goa Archbishop Gonsalves, presented this reality of proposal to Holy See in their application? People living here in Vanxim are afraid of loosing our ancestral  land only because Archbishop has committed this blunder willfully on record (Documents solicited under Right to Information Act 2005 proves all this)

4.      Archbishop of Goa Felipe Neri Ferrao sold paddy fields and horticultural lands to broker Mahendra Gaunekar on February 11, 2006 through the then diocesan procurator Fr.Arlino De Mello. The land was sold very cheaply at the rate of Rs.06/- per square meters for paddy fields admeasuring 3,00,275 square meters and Rs.20/- per square meters for horticultural lands close to water bodies admeasuring 1,85,275 square meters without informing the island dwellers and tenants. My family is one of them.

5.      Then through the deed of transfer and assignment of rights dated February 16, 2006 Archbishop Ferrao not only transferred Church rights over paddy fields, water bodies and horticulture land illegally sold, but also sold survey no. 1/1 that has land admeasuring 98,200 square meters of area with dwelling houses and Santus Cristus Church to Mahendra Gaunekar. Vanxim residents were never consulted before taking this step by the Archbishop.

6.       Press release dated January 02, 2016 from the Archbishop’s house also reveals that from 1992 onwards various companies and individuals were approaching Archdiocesan authorities to buy Vanxim. Archbishop Gonsalves never made this known to the islanders. Instead he signed Agreement to Sale of Vanxim with Mahendra Gaunekar on April 09, 1999.

7.      1992 is the year when Goa Diocese sold Souto Maior land in Caranzalem near Panjim unethically and illegally to real estate agents. Litigations are still on in civil courts.

8.      Mahendra Gaunekar then signed Joint Development Agreement on August 11, 2009 with corporate bodies - Ozone Leisure and Resorts Private limited, Tuscan Consultant and Developers and Ozone Propex Private Limited. This agreement has plans laid out to use Vanxim island for Golf Course with Golf Club,  5 star hotel of minimum 200 rooms and cottages, Luxury villas, Resorts, Spa, private marinas etc. Mahendra Gaunekar was paid Rs.30,00,00,000/- (Rupees Thirty Crores only) as security deposit. Islanders kept in dark.

9.      The above entire exercise was carried on without informing People of Vanxim island. Then in 2010 began the times of bullying and pressurizing, bribing and co-opting of the Vanxim islanders to surrender our land rights to cultivate paddy. Mahendra Gaunekar and the Goa Archdiocese dragged tenants to the civil court seeking to surrender their rights over land. Protective walls protecting paddy field were breached and paddy fields were flooded rendering cultivation impossible. This is also the time resistance began and still continues to do so with more people joining in. There is also huge coverage time and again in digital and print media.

10.  On March 04, 2016 we had faxed to Apostolic Nuncio in India Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio  in New Delhi with a request to intimate you in detail the following. Archbishop Pennacchio was in Goa subsequent to our letter for National Conference of Diocesan Priests in India. He didn’t summon us nor sent written reply to us. Since the situation on ground is deteriorating we decided to write to you directly.

11.  Several issues has remained unanswered and they cry for attention:

1.      All the letters from Tenants Association of Vanxim written in the decade of 1990s that Archbishop and his team claims to have a hand in sale of Vanxim by granting NOC to sell Vanxim. Who are the signatories of these letters?

2.      All the letters sent to Vatican from the Goa Archbishop and his team seeking permissions to sell Vanxim as per requirements of Canon 1291. And all the letters granting permissions to sell Vanxim received from Vatican. All must be made public.

3.      All the reports as per Canon 1292 must be made public. They are the consent reports and minutes from the financial council of the Goa Diocese and the College of Consultors and the experts that gave their advice to sell Vanxim.

4.      Names of those constituted financial council of the Goa Diocese that took decision on Vanxim, Names of those constituted College of Consultors and the names of Experts who recommended sale of Vanxim in entirety. All this needed as per Canon 1292.

5.      What is the actual total amount and where the money has gone from Vanxim sale? It is obvious that black money is involved in huge sums.

Documents of gift of Vanxim to Santa Monica and the obligations attached to be fulfilled must be made public. Which year Vanxim was handed over to Santa Monica Convent? Who did this? For what reason? What are the details of weight or Pessâo involved?

We are confident that in this case too you will intervene like the cases of Child Abuse and corruption by clergy in different parts of the world and once again it will be proved that injustice is not invincible.  People are concerned and worried.

Awaiting for your kind response.  Thanking Your Holiness in anticipation,

Yours sincerely,

         Sd/-

Maggie Silveira,

President, Goa State Unit

L. F. Silveira's letter of 1981 on corruption in Agriculture department regarding Vanxim bunds

Here we reproduce letter written in 1981 by late L. F. Silveira to the agriculture department on the corruption while repairing of bunds defending Vanxim. Few things are clear from this letter. First, it is not just Archbishops Neri and Gonsalves that has played dirty by selling island but also Goa Government through its Agriculture department is directly involved in weakening defence bunds of Vanxim that regulated movement of salty water of Mandovi river and ensure cultivation of paddy in these reclaimed lands. Secondly, the breaches caused to the bunds were neglected by Tenants Association after L. F. Silveira passed away in the decade of 1990s and Narayan Bhonsle took over the leadership. He instead of protecting bunds and its paddy fields allowed further breaches and compromised with Bamon Mahendra Gaunekar with Philip D'mello of Vitogem, Divar as a broker. In this way Bhosle allowed paddy fields of Vanxim to get ruined. These paddy fields are today are sold by Archbishop Neri to Gaunekar (for Rs. 6/- per square meter) who in turns sold it to Ozone corporate for Rs. 35 crores. This letter is published as it is important historical document of bravery on the part of Tenants of Vanxim led by late L. F. Silveira. 

From:

L.F.Silveira,

Chairman, Vanxim Tenants Association,

P.O. Piedade, Vanxim, Ilhas, Goa

9^th September 1981

To,

The Director,

Soil Conservation Division,

Directorate of Agriculture,

Panaji – Goa

Sir,

Sub: Closure of breaches in the bund defending the paddy field “Vanxim” of Tiswadi Taluka.

Reference your letter dated 25^th August 1981 about the first para, we the Committee Members, surprised to note that the Govt. spent over three lakhs of rupees to repair our bund in the year 1977-78.

There are several letters written to the Director in this connection how bad the work was carried on by the contractor and we also appealed not to pay him unless he hand over the bund after the completion of his work to the committee.

The contractor gave his work to another sub-contractor and ran away without giving his charge to the Committee and collected his money without fulfilling his conditions.

It is a mystery how he was paid, without handing over charge of his work to us inspite of our letters to the above office when there were 7 big breaches of bund in addition to the other big one for which we spent nearly Rs.80,000/- by way of material in the whole of Tiswadi Taluka. The estimate was made by Soil Conservation Officer in February 1977 with his Engineer Mr.Rajan by name but upto now we have not received a single N.P. from the Dept. concerned, which can be confirmed from your records.

Kindly investigate and inform the undersigned please.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

(L. F. Silveira)

Cc: To Minister of Agriculture, Panaji

Cc: to Mamlatdar, Panaji.

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