PUBLIC PLEAD AGAINST REALIGNMENT OF CUMBARJUA, PONDA

This news item appeared in the December 16, 2004 issue of Herald

Panjim, Dec. 15 - In one voice, raised at the second and final public hearing by the Delimitation Commission in North Goa on Wednesday, the general public including Opposition parties urged the Commission not to approve the alleged manipulated draft proposals pertaining to constituencies of Cumbarjua, Ponda and Pernem.

The Public hearing on Wednesday morning witnessed a mass turnout of citizens from all three constituencies, the first of which demanded that Juem, (Jua Saza) currently a part of Cumbarjua constituency, should not be included as part of Mayem constituency.

Secondly, there were major objections raised over the proposed removal of Usgao from Ponda constituency and its inclusion in Valpoi and the proposed removal of Ozorim from Pernem constituency and its inclusion in Tivim constituency.

As far as objections to the inclusion of Juem with Mayem constituency, the views raised were that the said proposal was geographically impossible as the said island is separated by River Mandovi and would cause a great deal of inconvenience for administrative and other purposes.

This matter was the first to be raised when the Commission commenced the public hearing session at Menezes Braganza hall. It was raised by one J.Dias and received a thunderous applause and continued to receive an overwhelming support at regular intervals during the three hour long hearing.

Others who also raised this matter included former GPCC President Nirmala Sawant.

Some of the other prominent persons who spoke was the Vice President of UGDP Advocate Radharao Gracias. He objected to Juem being a part of Mayem constituency and said,”For communal considerations, it should not be shifted to Mayem and the people’s demand is justified.”

Former Union Minister for Law Ramakant Khalap also supported the view that Juem be a part of Cumbarjua constituency.

The Nationalist Congress Party, Goa Unit Chief, Dr. Willy de Sousa urged the Commission to strictly follow contiguity and administrative conveniences where constituencies should not be allowed to go beyond taluka levels.

He said, “Juem must be in the taluka of Tiswadi”.

In fact a citizen from Cumbarjua said, “Let us be Juemkars and not Mayemkars”.

Interestingly, Advocate Vilas Thali seemed to have been the only one supporting the proposal for inclusion of Juem in Mayem constituency.

He refuted public opinion that Juem is a part of Cumharjua and pointed out that Juem could be included in Mayem constituency as a bridge was also being constructed to connect the said two areas.

He was however booed by the large gathering of residents from Cumbarjua and St. Estevem.

However Mayem MLA Harish Zantye seemed to have conceded to public opinion and expressed an opinion that if people did not want to part with Juem he had no objections.

The other matter pertained to Pernem where objections were raised to the proposed declaration of this constituency as reserved for the Schedule Caste community.

In fact suggestions came forth that Mapusa should instead be declared as a reserved constituency having a larger number of Schedule Caste voter population as against Pernem.

There were also views that Ozorim should remain with Pernem as its proposed inclusion in Tivim would create inconvenience even if plans were in the offing to construct a bridge to link the said two areas.

This view was raised by Advocate Amrut Kansar.

Also voicing his views, local MLA from the Congress Paty, JItendra Deshprabhu raised queries as to why Ozorim could not be retained in Pernem constituency.

He also said that Pernem has been reserved for the SCs for 32 years and sought to know why it could not be shifted to another. He pointed out saying, Mapusa has a total population of 4.8 percent of SC population whereas Pernem has an SC population constituting 4.1 percent of the total population.”

Minister for Panchayats Manohar Azgaonkar also said that Ozorim should not be a part of Tivim.

Former Union Minister for Law, Ramakant Khalap also opined that Ozorim should be a part of Pernem.

And Goa Su-Raj Party’s Surendra Sirsat also supported the view that Ozorim be kept as a part of Pernem.

Earlier, Mr. Kansar objected to the proposed removal of wards IV and VI of Mapusa constituency which is also proposed to be included in Aldona constituency.

Fatima D’Sa of the NCP also raised her objections on this proposal.

Views were also raised on this matter by the Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council.

As far as Ponda constituency, it was represented that Usgao should not be removed from Ponda for inclusion in Valpoi constituency. This representation was put forth by Preetam Naik on behalf of Ponda MLA Ravi Naik.

This case was argued on the grounds that Valpoi was about 30-40 Kms from Usgao and would cause inconvenience to the people and for administrative purposes.

On the other hand a suggestion was put forth that wards V,VI, VII, VIII, IX and X of Ponda could be deleted and made a part of Madkai constituency.

Another draft proposal which received an overwhelming response in terms of objections pertained to the exclusion of ward 9 from Panjim constituency for inclusion in Taleigao Panchayat.

Advocate Vilas Thali was the first to raise this and suggested that ward 9 be maintained in Panjim as it included a major part of Campal and extended to Miramar, which is the heart of Panjim City.

Advocate Radharao Gracias also supported these views.

Even as he was representing Taleigao, MLA Antanasio Monserratte, Gracias said that Campal cannot go to Taleigao.

In fact one citizen Auduth Angle said, “We don’t want to be a part of Taleigao.”

Dr. Willy also supported the demand for maintaining ward 9 as part of Panjim constituency.

Another citizen from Panjim also said that Panjim and Taleigao were two separate entities. This citizen said, “Their issues are different and they were also culturally different.”

There were also a large number of suggestions during the three hour public hearing. One stated that Chorao could be made a part of Mayem constituency.

Another suggested that two wards in Sanquelim be maintained in Sanquelim and not included in Mayem. However Mr.Zantye suggested that wards VII and VIII of Sanquelim be made a part of Mayem constituency.

A view was expressed that Salvador do mundo should be a part of Porvorim.

Dr. Willy suggested that Panjim Constituency should also extend to Old Goa and referred to a report stating that the Corporation of the City of Panaji has extended its garbage collection drive to Old Goa.

President of Goa Su-Raj Party Floriano Lobo suggested that constituencies should not be divided on community basis.

There were also mixed reactions to the creation of a new constituency of Porvorim.

Fatima D’Sa also opined that Socorro should remain part of Aldona and not merged with Porvorim.

Advocate Kansar suggested that the Delimitation Commission should take up the petition, pending before it, pertaining to Schedule Tribes.

The public hearing which began today at 10.30 a.m wound up at 1.20 p.m.

The large attendance witnessed the presence of a group of women’s organizations. A prominent one was from St. Estevam which objected to Juem’s proposed inclusion in Mayem Constituency.

As far as politicians, prominently seen were newly elected BJP MLA from Poinguinim Isidore Fernandes, Minister for Information Technology Francis D’Souza and Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane.

GPCC President Luizinho Faleiro, St. Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes, Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, BJP MLA Sadanand Shet, and NCP’s Surendra Furtado.