Thursday 18 August 2016

Fraudulent activities carried out by Ozone Leisure and Resort Pvt Ltd through Vaxi self help group to pass the Project in Investment Promotion Board

18th August 2016

To,
The Chief Minister and the Chairperson,
Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board,
Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

Subject: Fraudulent activities carried out by Ozone Leisure and Resort Pvt Ltd through Vaxi self help group to pass the Project in Investment Promotion Board

Sir,

We have already conveyed our strong objections to bring Vanxim Island under the purview of Goa Investment Promotion Act 2014. We have made our point clear in two of our letters to you dated April 11, 2016 and May23, 2016. We are also in receipt of letter from Chief Executive Officer, Goa Investment Promotion & Facilitation Board (Goa – IPB) dated May 11, 2016.

We have also written our objections to letter dated December 12, 2015 from Vaxi self help group. However in response to our letter dated May 23, 2016 criticizing the contents of the Vaxi self help group we have come to know of and examined another letter to Goa - IPB office dated June 02, 2016 by the name of “The Villagers of Vanxim (Capao)”. In this respect we wish to submit the following:-

1.    We have examined Memorandum of Association of “Vaxi self help group” from the office of the District Registrar, North Goa, Panjim. This group is registered on October 24, 2011 under The Societies Registration Act, 1860 and bears registration number 1076/Goa/2011.
2.    The memorandum of Association of Vaxi self help group has address registered as Mansi M. Parab, H.No.39, Sao Mathias, Post office, Piedade, Diwar, Vanxim-Ilhas-Goa.
3.    We have also taken note of the address on the letterhead of the Vaxi self help group letter dated 12/12/2015 addressed to the Chief Minister of Goa with the subject “Representation to favorably consider the proposal made by Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. for the Hotel and Resort Project at Village Capao, Taluka Tiswadi”. The address mentioned here is different from the address in the registration documents cited above. Here the address of Vaxi self help group is recorded as c/o House no.72, Vanxim, P.O. Piedade Ilhas, Goa – 403403.
4.    This House no.72, Vanxim as per records of the Sao Mathias Panchayat is recorded in the name of Mahendra Gaunekar who has stakes in proposed Vanxim tourism projects of Ozone. In addition it is Mahendra Gaunekar who is involved in controversial land deals with the office of the Archbishop of Goa to purchase and sell the same to Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. It is clear that Vaxi self help group has been hoodwinked by Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd in combination with each other in order to manufacture support for the corporate misadventures on our island of Vanxim. This is a case of direct manipulation in favor of Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. The dictionary meaning of the word ‘manipulation’ is as follows: “A change made for ones own purpose or advantage”. There is no other explanation.
5.    This tie up of Vaxi self help group with Mahendra Gaunekar - Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd is not only unethical but also illegal violating group’s memorandum of association Aims and Objective no. 07 that seeks “to promote co-operation and friendly relations with the other societies with the object and aim similar to this society.” The Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd is not a society but a Company. Hence this is violation of Vaxi self help group Memorandum of Association.
6.    We also note that considering writing of letter dated 12/12/2015 to Chief Minister of Goa in support of Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd is beyond the legal limits of activities of Self help group. It is understood that Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd is using the letterhead of Vaxi self help group to manufacture public support for themselves.
7.    Further we have observed from the letter dated 11/05/2016 from the Goa IPB Chief Executive Officer addressed to Ms Maggie Silveira, Bharat Mukti Morcha that in-principle approval to convert Capao (Vanxim) land as settlement zone to set up five star hotel and villas by Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd was granted in a the 8th meeting of the Goa Investment Promotion Board held on 14/12/2015. While the letter of the Vaxi self help group is addressed to Chief Minister of Goa in this regard is dated two days prior to the meeting i.e. 12/12/2015. There is no date of entry as to when this letter from Vaxi self help group was received by Chief Minister’s office and how this letter landed up in the file of records without official entry. So there is high level of manipulation evident from the dynamics of the process of in-principal approval granted which is a big fraud.
8.    We have also noted the description of Vaxi self help group offered on record by its President Mrs. Manasi Parab. In her letter dated 23rd May, 2016 to the Police Inspector, Old Goa Police Station, Old Goa, Goa. Mrs. Parab is on record to state that “Sir, we around 25 ladies have formed the VAXI SELF HELP GROUP ILHAS since year 2011 and the same is duly registered under Registration No. 1076Goa/2011 and are engaged in earning our livelihood by making and selling Jute bags though the VAXI SELF HELP GROUP.” There is no mention of any official collaboration with Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. So logically it can be concluded that VAXI SELF HELP GROUP is carrying on making and selling of Jute bags from the house owned by Mahendra Gaunekar who is collaborator of Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. And Mr. Gaunekar and Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd manipulated VAXI SELF HELP GROUP to serve corporate interests. (This is a corrupt way to function as a self help group. The vigilance department must investigate this fraud which is a must when it comes to truth of what Bharat Mukti Morcha stands for.)
9.    When in a letter dated 23/5/2016 Bharat Mukti Morcha exposed VAXI SELF HELP GROUP with signed letter of 78 villagers, the said VAXI SELF HELP GROUP did not defend itself as it is totally guilty. Instead some new group calling itself “The Villagers of Vanxim (Capao) wrote letter dated 02/06/2016 to the Chairman, Investment Promotion Board. This letter is without letterhead and without House number in its address as no one in Vanxim island want to take responsibility to the contents of the letter that is highly manipulated for corporate interests. This letter has 82 signatures. We consider it our duty to expose this letter as well since it seeks to defend contents of the VAXI SELF HELP GROUP letter to the Chief Minister dated 12/12/2015.
10. This letter dated 02/06/2016 from the villagers of Vanxim (Capao) has 82 signatures we wish to place before our observations in this regard.
a.    82 people has claimed “that Bharat Mukti Mukti Morcha and its President Ms. Maggie Silveira gave us insufficient information and forcefully took our signatures”. Our letter has just 78 signatures. It is absurd for 82 people to claim that they have signed. This has happened because of Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd manipulations in the background of Vaxi self help group being exposed in our letter to you dated 23/05/2016.
b.    Secondly of these 82 people only 15 people have signed on Bharat Mukti Morcha letter dated 23/12/2016. The remaining 67 people has no right to claim that even they have signed Bharat Mukti Morcha letter by force or otherwise.
c.    15 people who has signed Bharat Mukti Morcha letter dated 23/05/2016 are those who signed the villagers of Vanxim (Capao) letter dated 02/06/2016 at the serial nos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 42, and 53. If Bharat Mukti Morcha has applied force on these 15 people to sign letter dated 23/05/2016 then why have they not mentioned the nature of force applied against them – gun point? Knife point? Threat to life? In the absence of satisfactory disclosures on these key issues it can safely be concluded that these 15 people are manipulated by Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd to manufacture consent for its ill conceived tourism project by destroying agricultural paddy fields and water bodies, khazans, mangroves, mud flats etc.
d.    The villagers of Vaxim (Capao) letter to Chief Minister dated 02/06/2016 also claims that Bharat Mukti Morcha and its President Ms. Maggie Silveira has given insufficient information as well as false information. This letter however does not mention which information according to the above mentioned 15 people is false and in sufficient. These claims of insufficient information and false information are totally vague in nature and this is one more instance of how corporate bodies are attempting to manufacture support for their corrupt dealings on Vanxim.
e.    We also wish to bring to your attention that Villagers of Vanxim (Capao) letter dated 02/06/2016 addressed to you has signatures of six minor children at serial nos 64, 65, 66, 70, 75 and 76. Three signatures are forged at serial nos 81, 22 and 23. In one case surname of the signatory is missing at serial no 20. Fourteen people are who signed are not registered on voters list in Vanxim. They have signed at serial nos 27, 28, 50, 51, 54, 59, 67, 68, 69, 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82.  All this is done by Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd in order to manufacture support for its proposed tourism project in Vanxim consisting of five star hotel and Villas - housing and pleasure for the rich.
f.     The last two paragraphs of the villagers of Vanxim (Capao) letter dated 02/06/2016 to Chairman, Investment Promotion Board are meant to distract focus from Vaxi self help group whose letter dated 12/12/2015 has crumbling foundation. 02/06/2016 letter claims support of entire village of Capao, Vanxim supports endeavors of Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. This very essence is direct evidence of corporate involvement after being frustrated by local and wider opposition Vanxim paddy field destruction issue has generated. More evidence is in last paragraph.
g.    Last paragraph compliments and thanks the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board for giving Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd for setting up a 5 – star Resort and Villa Estate Development at Capao village (Vanxim). The last part of last sentence of the letter vents out corporate frustration and vengeance against single individual “strongly urge and request you not to consider or fall prey to the false statement and lies being spread by the said Ms. Maggie Silveira as any representation made by her is not the view or demand of the general majority of the villagers of Capao, Vanxim, who want the development and fully support the project.” This letter is meant to give impression that a single person is opposed to the tourism project that too through false statements and lies. However we wish to place on record that not a single false statement and lie has been mentioned in this letter of villagers of Vanxim (Capao) dated 02/06/2016 attributing to single individual mentioned. Why not even one false statement has been mentioned with an example? Why not a single lie is pointed out with an example? It is because they could not locate single false statement or single lie. This is so because entire exercise of collecting these signatures is manipulation in support of the corporate.

Due to above mentioned points letter from villagers of Vanxim (Capao) dated 02/06/2016 cannot be used as supporting document post facto for the decision to include Vanxim under the purview of the Goa Investment Promotion Act 2014. Moreover this document is one more example of extending fraudulent activities carried out by Ozone Leisure and Resort Pvt Ltd through Vaxi self-help group to pass the project in Investment Promotion Board.

The Vaxi Self help group (most of the People are from outside Vanxim) what’s so ever has no authority to write a letter to the Chief Minister of Goa to consider favorably the proposal made by Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. for a Hotel and Resort Project at Village Capao, Taluka Tiswadi as per the Societies Registration Act, 1860. There are no provisions for such letter to be written as per the Rules and Regulations of Vaxi Self Help Group Ilhas.

Complete fraud and total disastrous manipulations involved in writing letter dated 12/12/2015 to the Chief Minister of Goa and based on this letter the in-principle approval was given for the project in Vanxim that too without making inward entry to Chief  Minister’s office or the Secretariat. High level of frauds involved in Goa – IPB.

You are therefore urged to take note of the above objections and issue following directions:-

1.    Immediately revoke in-principle approval granted for setting up of a 5 Star Resort & Villa Estate Development at Village Capao (Vanxim), St. Mathias, Tiswadi.
2.    To withdraw and cancel recommendation to the Government to grant the project ‘Investment Promotion Area’ status.
3.    Stop and cancel conversion of the property from Orchard to Settlement Zone to the extend of 82595 sqm.
4.    To cancel recommendations to the concerned authorities / Departments of the State Government for the approval of change of use of land from Orchard to Settlement to the extend of 82595 sqm. No CRZ clearance be granted for this project.
5.    Direction be issued towards declaring land titles in favour of Ozone Leisure and Resorts Private Limited on Capao island (Vanxim) as null and void and restitution initiated to restore the rights of tenants deleted by foul play.
6.    Stop facilitating to get permissions for this project from various authorities/ departments of State and Central government.
7.    Withdraw recommendation to the Electricity department to release power load of 2000KVA and Public Works Department to release water requirement of 230KLD to the said unit.
8.    Block recommendation to concerned authorities / Departments of the State Government and Central Government to grant the necessary permissions / clearances for the said project proposal.

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,

         Sd/-
Maggie Silveira
(President – Goa Unit)

 .Copy to :
1.    Pratapsingh Raoji Rane, Leader of the Opposition, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
2.    Minister for Industries, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
3.    The Principal Secretary (Industries), Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
4.    The Under Secretary (Industries), Industries Department, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
5.    Principal Secretary (Environment), Secretariat, Porvorim
6.    The Secretary (Panchayats), Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
7.    The District Registrar, North/ Inspector General of Societies, Junta House, Panjim
8.    The Director, Directorate of Industries, Trade & Commerce, Government of Goa, Udyog Bhavan, Panaji, Goa
9.    The Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, Paryatan Bhavan, Patto, Panaji, Goa
10. The Chief Town Planner, Town and Country Planning Depart, Patto, Panaji, Goa
11. The Collector (North Goa), Panjim, Goa
12. The Dy. Collector & SDO, Tiswadi, Goa
13. The Chief Electrical Engineer, Electricity Department, Panaji, Goa
14. The Principal Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, Altinho, Panaji, Goa
15. The Member Secretary, Goa State Pollution Control Board, 1st Floor, Dempo Tower, Patto, Panaji, Goa
16. The Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Porvorim, Goa
17. The Member Secretary, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, 3rd Floor, Dempo Tower, Patto, Panaji, Goa

18. The Chief Executive Director, Investment Promotion & Facilitation Board (IPB – Goa), Cabin no. 20, Ground Floor, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

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