Thursday 28 Mar 2024

Budget gives Moti Dongor, Talsanzor migrants a miss

What does Camrabhat in Taleigao, Zuari Nagar in Cortalim and Chimbel in Santa Cruz constituency have in common, one may ask. Well, it’s a coincidence that they are all migrant-inhabited hubs, which have found favour with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s scheme of things for their rehabilitation by 2022.

GUILHERME ALMEIDA | MARCH 28, 2017, 04:49 AM IST

MARGAO  
But, what about Moti Dongor in Margao or Talsanzor in neighbouring Fatorda represented in the Legislative Assembly by Town and Country Planning Minister, Vijai Sardesai? Well, the sword of demolition has been hanging over these two localities, including the migrant-inhabited Moti Dongor, but the promised rehabilitation is yet to see the light of day till date.
That the two localities have not found favour with the Chief Minister in his budget speech sounds all the more surprising because Parrikar had personally assured the residents of Talsanzor in the presence of their MLA Vijai Sardesai around 3-4 years ago that the BJP-led government would work out a package for their rehabilitation after they claimed that they are all Niz Goemkars, having their roots in the land.
In fact, when a delegation of the beleaguered residents of Talsanzor had called on the Chief Minister and Vijai Sardesai at Fatorda, Parrikar had made a categorical promise that his government would not take any action that would put the people on the road.
When The Goan drew attention of the TCP Minister and Fatorda MLA, Vijai Sardesai that Talsanzor colony did not find mention in the Chief Minister’s budget speech promising to rehabilitate the inhabitants of the Camrabhat, Zuari Nagar and Chimbel slums by 2022, he admitted that Talsanzor may not have been included in the scheme of things, but hastened to add that people should not worry.
“As a minister presiding over the affairs of the TCP portfolio, I am working out a proposal wherein the residents can be rehabilitated and the entire Talsanzor spruced up, including the famous spring, whose water is known for its medicinal properties,” Sardesai said.
He pointed out that nothing is finalised as yet, and the proposal is still at an infancy stage and will be placed before the people only after studying the pros and cons.
Incidentally, while the TCP minister has now promised to work out a separate scheme for Talsanzor residents under the TCP ministry, the fate of the adjoining Moti Dongor migrant-inhabited colony remains uncertain till date.
It’s now nearly half-a-decade since the Administrator of Comunidades, South had issued notices on the Moti Dongor hutment dwellers to raze down the illegal structures after Mumbai-based lawyer, S Punalykar knocked the doors of the High Court for action against the hutments.
Since then, the swords of demolition have been hanging over the Moti Dongor hutments, though a section of local BJP leaders had been open in the rehabilitation of the migrant-inhabited colony.  
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