November 19, 2007

That sinking feeling
The owner of Jaisu Shipping, the mediocre contractor awarded the task of re-floating and towing the River Princess through an equally dubious contractual guarantee upon which the firm must forfeit a security deposit of between Rs5-5.5 cr intends to stay afloat somehow even though he can't help the sunken Princess. The ship was to be removed in 180 days ie before 20.04.07. Now, it turns out Jaisu had a separate agreement with the Tourism Department on non-interference because frequent inspections it said would interrupt its operations.
The department's consultant Indian Registrar of Shipping whom it agreed to pay a disproportionate fee of Rs25 lakh it is said also misled the department taking it for a royal ride. A day before the expiry date of 20.04.07, IRS submitted a report saying the salvage was on course. After 20.04.07 the maximum permissible extension for Jaisu was 30 days but the contract stipulated it had to be asked for before the date.
Sources say Jaisu routinely hoodwinked the government never giving it specific or honest information asking for an extension only on 02.04.07. On 05.07.07 at a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary Jaisu verbally declared it incurred an expenditure of Rs2.5 cr and the detail recorded in the minutes of the meeting. A few days later however it produced a chartered accountant certified Rs19.5 cr expenditure statement. Something's on so keep watching this space. And while you wait keep adding up the Rs1 lakh per day contractual fine Jaisu has to pay.

Swept away like dirt
Big hoteliers, all Mumbaites and Delhites bulldozing sand dunes and building down to the sea is a reality from Agonda to Baga. What is saddening despite the inevitability of Goa being sold lock, stock and barrel that too for black money is the way the real aam aadmi like Justiano Pereira, a discernibly poor and genuine farmer of Adaowaddo, Majorda are swept aside like dirt. Humble as they come, Justiano's tormentor is the rich and powerful Sea Bird Resorts whose director Nirav Parekh, is based in Nariman Point, Mumbai. Parekh bought 23,754 sq mt from Rui Fernandes Leao to build his huge hotel.

Justiano and others are now fighting to protect and retain a common well (their only water source) built with RDA funds at a cost of Rs23117 by the Majorda-Utorda-Calata Village Panchayat that now falls in Parekh's property. Worse a traditional pathway has almost entirely been taken over by Parekh blocking the route villagers used for decades.

On 03.10.06 villagers wrote to the Sarpanch placing their objections to passing the construction plans, if planned by blocking off the traditional pathway. The Sarpanch issued Sea Bird a show-cause notice dated 05/10/06. But Parekh like all Mumbai and Delhi hoteliers bent on taking over Goa's protected (hypothetically) coast began building in March 2007 completing blocking off the traditional path and well. Amid complaints lodged with the Colva police and the Village Panchayat of Majorda-Calata-Utorda by them no action was taken to stop Parekh.

The power of money
Parekh effectively cordoned off and covered an ancient nullah that was a channel for rainwater flowing through the fields into the sea. The nullah, Parekh proposed to construct in concrete as an open drain in his construction plans passed by the SGPDA on 25.01.2007. Parekh's other proposal to install narrow drainpipes to replace the natural nullah and a huge wall being built around the property will flood the area during the monsoon. Parekh's punishing plans for a once beautiful hamlet also includes locating his garbage dump behind his hotel and next to the homes of Justiano and the villagers.

The TCPs NOC to Sea Bird clearly states, "the proposed development shall not block any existing traditional path passing through the property." It says again, "The pathway of 2 mt in width as shown on the site plan shall be maintained to the satisfaction of the Village Panchayat." Sea Bird as per its approved plan is building a total of four buildings and has already said it intends to rise above the permitted 3.5 mts height. With a total planned construction of 8416.47 sq mt Sea Bird will make a sea change in idyllic Adaowaddo.

Aam aadmi concern?
Incredibly, from the licenses Justiano obtained under RTI the plans were approved and signed by the town planner, senior town planner, chief town planner, secretary (TCP) the minister (TCP) and by Pratapsing Rane in the blurry of a few days in January 2007. One of them, it is difficult to say who (in the plans these remarks are closest to the initials of the chief town planner) wrote this: "In addition, the applicant has undertaken to enhance approach roads, parking space and to enhance greenery in the areas." None of them have agreed so far to hear out Justiano's petitions that forced him to go to court.

Justiano says the town planner informed him there were no restrictions on the distance to be maintained between commercial and residential users. "However, minimum setbacks are required to be maintained as per prevailing norms." No dimensions were mentioned in the reply that Justiano wanted. In another letter in fact the senior town planner informed him that Sea Bird's licenses was issued on the basis of the old RP 2001.

Xenophobia
For the xenophobic and myopic who do not want foreigners to buy homes in Goa never mind the fact that Indians have taken over at least two countries under the United Nations fold and have become from Presidents and Prime Ministers to Premiers and Governors here's food for thought. The Hindustan Times reported that Harish Chheda, 38, of Borivli, Mumbai bought 2,500 sq ft of land for Rs11 lakh about 25 kms from central London. With the stock market on steroids more and more Indians are buying property in the UK. Chheda said for Rs11 lakh he would get "othing" in Mumbai. Mahindra Parmar of Pune bought his son a plot outside London and HT quoted experts as saying a two-bedroom service apartment in Phuket costs Rs40 lakh implying Indians could head there next. Already, the UK-based property consultants Astra Mayfai has an office in Delhi and is heading next for Mumbai. This only means more Indians will now buy property in the UK.

And foreign guest workers
That's not all. The darling of the stock exchange and media's pride RIL has a 4,000-strong Chinese workforce working for its gas pipeline project and Jamnagar refinery and wants to hire more. Yes, from the country that attacked us, occupies a bit of India and now wants Arunachal Pradesh as well.