Issues that may turn the tide in Goa

Biplob Ghosal Goa with two Lok Sabha seats will witness the ruling Congress-alliance and the opposition battling it out in the upcoming General elections. Although it in the recent times has been hitting the headlines for various reasons, following are some of the issues which are set to be taken by the different political parties: Terror threat Goa with several miles of un-policed beaches and being a tourist hot spot has always been in terror radar. But recently, there were serious intelligence inputs of terrorists attacking from sea, a new concept that was also witnessed in the last year Mumbai attacks. Only last year, it was revealed by a terrorist that the famous North Goa`s Calangute-Baga beach belt was in the hit list. Goa, which is renowned for its beach parties especially during New year’s eve got a setback when the state government banned beach parties from December 23 to January 5 due to a heightened terror threat. SEZ If there is one state where environmental issues spill over into active politics and can rewrite the destiny of political parties, it is Goa. The recent report of CAG exposing three mega land allotment scams in touristy Goa, civil society groups say now “all the skeletons have tumbled out” of the government’s closet. The report indicates that the state government tried to clandestinely hand over huge tracts of land - acquired for public purposes - to private developers. The land issues are expected to expose the government. The opposition will certainly take it as an opportunity to tarnish the image of the Congress-led government. The state government will also face trouble over a government ordinance concerning a Supreme Court order on the demolition of illegal structures built by hotels. In January 2009, SC had asked the state government to demolish all the illegally built structures, but the ruling government passed an ordinance amending the century-old law and The Cidade de Goa hotel at Dona Paula in North Goa was topping the list of Supreme Courts order, but the state government passed an ordinance amending the century-old law and stopped the demolition. BJP seeing it as a blowing issue has raised demands that the same treatment be extended to the over 12,000 buildings facing demolition for violating coastal regulations. Anti-dam activists are fuming over the Nationalist Congress Party`s (NCP) stand that Mhadei river water diversion is a non-issue for forthcoming Lok Sabha poll. The spiraling prices, better roads, electricity supply, water supply, more jobs will also feature in the list of the polls issue.