Ms Venita Coelho responds

Comment:

I thank Ms Coelho for taking the time and trouble to respond to my queries. Her zeal was never in doubt.

I accept her assertions about her garage. I take them to be right. I take her point about the Sarpanch being under investigation himself. Are any of the other activists under scrutiny? Have any of them been served with show cause notices?

Also what is the equation regarding Marie Yvonne, James and Reis? Why did they oppose Ms Coelho's intervention?

As for the Panchas and others present not intervening, I am still gathering information.

I apologise for wrongly labelling the 20 year plan and accept that if implemented in the way Ms Coelho projects it, the incidence of illegalities will be better controlled and even reduced.

As for the EPIC card, my stance is that though not required, its production would have set to rest the controversy regarding her eligibility. The fact that she had secured her name on the electoral rolls, a few days before the Gram Sabha, made it an even more logical thing to do.

Bearing in mind , if I read it right, the fact that Ms Coelho was not registered and not qualified to participate in the two previous Sabhas that she attended, and the fact that the Sarpanch and his allies were aware of this, it was only natural for her to be questioned and when there was no evidence proffered... the rest is history. Would all this have been avoided if the proof was shown by Ms Coelho? Yes it would have been. And if Ms Coelho had then been ejected, it would have been a far more straight forward a matter of an injustice inflicted.

In support of this assertion I point to the fact that Tanya, Ms Coelho's colleague and fellow 'zuzarri' was not ejected . I suppose in the present imbroglio, this is neither here nor there.

The Sarpanch and the panchas are the legally elected representatives of the people of Moira. Unpalatable but true. Whether one respects them or not is immaterial. It is the office of the Sarpanch that demands that we acknowledge his authority during Sabhas. Or else there will be chaos. I mean, even more of the same..

The fact that people will try to make a fast buck when permitted is an unquestionable given. It is laudable that the MAC and the MCF have taken the trouble to formulate the plan and offered to pay for it. The Sarpanch claims he has a counter plan and that he is trying to ascertain the views of the villagers. However good Ms Coelho's plan is, the elected representatives have the right to implement and impose their version. The way to scupper the Sarpanch's version is to best him at the hustings.

Innuendos and allegations will only muddy the waters. Maybe, a fund should be started and whereever any illegality is noted or suspected, legal procedings should be initiated. This is a suggestion from someone who is not present in Moira, would love to be, but isn't.

As I've said, Ms Coelho's zeal was never in question. The end she had in mind was, as far as I am concerned, extremely laudable. It was the means, I think , that needed fine tuning.

Sincerely

Xanno Moidecar

Dear Xanno
1. What is in question is not a 20 point programme - it is a 20 year plan for the village which is yet to be created.
2. I do not need an EPIC card to attend a Gram Sabha. My name needed to be on the electoral rolls which it was. I repeatedly asked for the rolls to be produced as evidence - which the Sarpanch refused.
3. The garage in question is 15 years old and built by the previous owner. Perhaps you should ask the Sarpanch why the Communidade has sent him official notice asking him to explain why his house is on communidade land.
4. The 20 year plan is obviously a threat. If correctly done, and all land usage mapped, there will be no longer any more scope to illegally convert land usage. I leave you to work out why it was then important to silence me when I stood up to ask 'What is the status of the 20 year plan?
'5. The Sarpanch as Advocate should have known that the burden of proof lies with the Panchyat not with the individual. Even if he has lost his copy of the rule book, the rules still exist and I asked several times for the rolls to be produced.
6. Our upright and god fearing Panchas from good families sat by and watched while a woman was dragged from an assembly by the police.
7. What is at stake is not settling of personal scores. What is at stake is crores of rupees. Issuing licences to large projects is now a lucrative business. Awkward questions get in the way.
8. Planning is the key. Open and transparent planning that correctly maps land use.
9. Not just two people, but the MAC in association with the MOira Consumer Forum had submitted and entire plan on how we could go about doing a 20 year plan - we had put together a panel of experts to advise, and we even offered to raise the funds for the entire effort. All of which was rejected by the Panchayat and completely ignored. For obvious reasons.I would suggest that you understand the issues at stake since you seem to be a concerned party. The issues are great cause for concern. They are nothing less that the survival of the village.
Thank you
Venita Coelho

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