This menace of illegal hutments blocking the gate of St. Elias High School, khar; has been going on for over two decades. Politicians offer only lip service but are never interested in resolving this problem. The hutment dwellers are their vote bank; how could they disturb the vote bank? Here is how we have cornered a politician who appeared during silent protest and issued a vague and meaningless  directive to H West ward authorities through the media. Let us now see if he is issuing an official order to demolish the hutments.

We call upon all the association to whom this letter has been marked, to be prepared to agitate strongly and do what the politicians have failed to do. GET RID OF THE HUTMENTS BLOCKING THE GATE OF THE SCHOOL.

GREG

GREG R PEREIRA

A7 Rodrigues Compound, Malwani Village, Marve Rd.

Malad (W), Mumbai – 400095;

Contact: Cell: 9870719628; E Mail: pereiragreg1611@gmail.com

To,                                                                                                                              26^th, March, 2016;

Shri Ajoy Mehta,

Commissioner MCG,

BMC Headquarter,

Mumbai – 400001;

Respected Sir,

Sub:    Illegal hutments on footpath surrounding St. Elias High School, Khar;

Wish to draw your attention to a news items appearing in DNA of 18^th, February, 2016 and Asian age of February, 20; copies of which are attached herewith. This menace of illegal hutments has been ongoing for over two decades, causing inconvenience as well as danger to students’ life. Incident of a student getting run over by a speeding vehicle on February 5^th is not the first nor will it be the last. It will persist, as long as the illegal hutments continue to occupy the footpath meant for students to safely walk on.

Management of St Elias High School, Khar; has been pleading with H West ward office for donkey’s years to get the footpath rid of this menace, but their pleading has fallen on deaf years. Many a time delegations from various organizations met with ward officers to appraise the administration about the hardship students are facing due to this illegal hutments right outside their school gates. But what they got from H West ward administration is only the assurances and no action.

Silent demonstration on 20^th February, 2016 was just one of them but with a difference. Local MLA Mr,. Ashish Shelar did participate in this protest and directed the ward office to, Demolish the huts bordering St. Elias High School. “Shelar gave BMC directive in response to Teachers, Parents’ demand”; “Raze Slums outside School”, reads the headline (Report in Asian Age: 20^th, February, 2016). Report also mentions that Mr. Shelar MLA and Ms Alka Kerkar, Dy. Mayor BMC assured that necessary action would be taken within 15 days, as quoted by Ms. Ruhi Kapoor, PTA Representative. Now it is over a month and no activity is seen on the ground; obviously because it was a politician voice in the media; which needs to be taken with pinch of salt.

Mr. Shelar knows very well that words spoken to the media are meaningless and bear no consequences. If the politicians are serious about getting the hutments removed, they should officially write to BMC administration, which they haven’t yet, we suppose. Politicians have to maintain their vote bank, which they would not like to disturb. Through the copy of this letter we shall call upon Mr. Shelar to put up officially, his directives in writing to you, to ORDER THE BMC ADMINISTRATION TO DEMOLISH THE ILLEGAL HUTMENTS WITH IMMEDIATELY and follow up on his statement in the media; but we doubt very much, he will do so, fearing disturbing his vote bank. It is reliably learnt that Mr. Shelar is avoiding meeting the PTA members, who are asking for an appointment to meet him.

Meanwhile, on behalf of the students of St. Elias High School, Khar; we urge you to listen to the wailing voices of the students and their guardians and order the H West ward to get the hutments removed.

Awaiting your quick and positive response;

GREG R. PEREIRA;

Encl: As above.

Copy to:

1. Ashish Shelar: Request to put up in writing, directing BMC authorities to demolish the hutments immediately.
2. Milton Gonsalves: Parish priest, St. Vincent the Paul Church, Khar: For information and follow up.
3. President: Parents & Teachers Association (PTA): For information and circulation among the parents, in order to create awareness about politicians’ double standards.

Copy to the associations concerned about this issue and fighting to get these hutments removed, in order to be prepared for agitation if required.

1. Vivian D’souza: President: Bombay East Indian Association( BEIA);
2. Godfrey Pimenta: President Watchdog Foundation;
3. Dolphy D’souza: Spokesperson, Save Our Land – SOUL
4. Alphy D’souza: CEO, Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP);
5. Herbert Baretto: President: Maharashtra East Indian Christian Federation (MEICF)
6. Nicholas Almeida: President Sahar Citizen’s forum;
7. Daphne Warapen: Active parishioner of St. Vincent the Paul Church; Khar.

MAILED TO ABOVE RECIPIENTS WITH FOLLOWING MESSAGE

Hi All,

This is a small effort from my side to keep the fire burning, in order to keep the authorities under pressure. I suggest, all of you write to the MC in similar fashion, briefly though. Just holding a demonstrations and forgetting about it has no effect. I hope you will understand.

This matter has been simmering for a long time and needs to be dealt with effectively. This is the first phase of my thoughts, which I am executing. Let us all express solidarity with the School administration and Parents, Teachers Association (PTA)

GREG

Reportedly it seems to be a roumour that Fr.Tom Uzhunnali has been Crucified. Hence we are deleting the matter till further confirmation. We regret the error.

This matter relates to St. Joseph Church, Juhu. Parish authorities, perhaps misguided by some advisors having vested interests, were trying to dislodge a parishioner of his rights on the commercial hoardings, which he has been in possession since 1969. with the intervention from yours truely, matter has been resolved in favour of the parishioner.

Communication with hierarchy, appended below, should apprise the readers about it.

GREG 

Dear Mr. Pereira,

I hope this e-mail finds you well.

I would like to inform you that, on 23^rd February 2016, I received a call from Rev. Fr. Joe Pereira the acting parish priest at St.Joseph’s – Juhu, who mentioned to me that the due permission was granted in my favor and also, handed over a written NOC for the BMC on the same evening.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, as I am truly grateful for your support. We sometimes underestimate the power of a kind act and how it can make all the difference to another. Your kind words and advice were not only a source of inspiration but were also strength to me during this trying time.

Further, I would like to take you back to our humble roots; M/s. Irene Displays has been operational since 1969. The company was begun by my mother, Mrs. Irene Creado, a young catholic entrepreneur with very little education however, at that time the church stood as a great pillar of support to her and since she has been ever so grateful.

These past 2 months were extremely difficult for both me and my family as a majority of our income could have been taken away from us not only loosing monetarily but also, feeling a sense of abandonment from our parish something we considered our own and were so closely integrated with.

Once again, thank you for reminding me that there still exists, truth and a sense of brethren within our community. Thank you for enabling my VOICE to be heard.

Yours Truly,

Mr. Robert Creado

For M/s. Irene Displays.

AN APPEAL TO REVOKE PARISH PRIEST’S DECISION

To                                                                                                             10^th, February, 2016

H.E. Oswald Cardinal Gracias;

Archbishop of Bombay;

Your Eminence,

Sub:    Commercial Hoardings in the Compound of St. Joseph Church/School, Juhu; FOLLOW UP;

Further to my letter dated 7^th, February, 2016, requesting you to postpone the malicious bidding process till you return. Unfortunately, the bidding did take place and Parish authorities managed to snatch Bread from the mouth of a local Catholic Parishioner.

In this context, I wish to draw your attention to certain facts to prove that this has been done intentionally to dislodge the current holders of the rights, M/s Irene Displays, owned by the local Parishioner and son of the Soil, a member of East Indian Community, in order to install someone from outside the parish and a non Christian.

Your Eminence, it was supposed to be an open bidding, therefore certainly there could have been more persons participating. Is there a dirth of companies, willing to grab such business opportunity, in Mumbai? How competitive it could be, if more companies participated. But it was not to be, because they were not informed about the bidding taking place. Therefore, only two of them, one Ms. Irene Displays; and the other one, propped up by some elements within Parish/Church, having vested interest in winning the bid.

What was the difference in the amounts of the two? I am given to understand that the other participant’s bid is higher by just Five Thousand rupees. Irene Displays bid for Rs. Twenty Four Lakhs and the other party Rs. Twenty Four Lakhs and Five thousands; A negligible difference. Doesn’t it sound like a fixed match? Nay it was a betrayal; betrayal of faith reposed in the person of god.

Mr. Robert Creado of Irene Displays met the Parish Priest Fr. Joe Pereira in the afternoon and told him that he is willing to hike the amount to Twenty Four Lakhs for two hoardings. Now one doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand how the other party quoted just five thousand rupees more. The figure mentioned by Robert Creado was leaked to the opposition who then quoted marginally high, we allege.

We believe that a report would be sent to you for your approval. We therefore call upon you to deal with the matter judiciously, considering all the facts, and allow M/s Irene Displays to continue with the rights to the hoardings. In case, of approval already granted in favour of the other party, by your subordinates; we call upon you to revoke it, and restore the sanctity of your office.

Your Eminence, may I recall our meeting, related to Examiner Press building matter, in presence of Adv. Joaquim Reis and Fr. Richard Crasto in your office? I expressed my satisfaction at the explanation offered by you and Adv. Joaquim Reis; when the question was raised by me about the advertisements in the media for letting the premises on the lease to third party. However, here I find that the same logic being ignored/violated and trampled upon, allowing undesirable elements to gain access to the Church premises/Property.

Your Eminence, I would like to deviate a bit from the issue over here. Recently you celebrated HOLY MASS in East Indian Dialect, at HOLY CROSS Church, Kurla. This gesture was applauded by the entire EAST INDIAN community. The Community, through their representatives, appealed to you to look after the interest of community that has offered so much, including large chunks of their ancestral lands, to the Church in Mumbai.

Imagine, how the community would feel, if it realize that the same very church is acting against the interest of their fellow community member and snatching the right in unethical manner to hand it over to an outsider.Your Eminence, We have done enough to explain the truth. Now it is up to you, on this ASH WEDNESDAY, to accept it or reject it.

Yours always, in OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

 Sd/-

GREG R. PEREIRA

REQUEST TO DEFFER THE BIDDING PROCESS

7^th, February, 2016

To

H. E. Oswald Cardinal Gracias;

Archbishop of Bombay;

Your Eminence,

Sub:    Commercial Hoardings in the Compound of St. Joseph Church/School, Juhu;

The hoardings mentioned in the subject matter are presently in Possession of M/s. Irene Displays, the enterprise own by a Parishioner of St. Joseph Church, Juhu, who is also a member of local East Indian Community, since 1969. Irene Displays has been paying Rs. 1, 68, 00, 000; annually to parish authorities at present time.

However, parish authorities are now planning to call for open bidding, in order to earn higher revenue, which is quite fair. But it is not clear as to why the Parish authorities are in so hurry to call for open bids without following proper procedure. It has been orally intimated to M/s Irene Displays that bidding will take place tomorrow, Monday in the evening.

It seems some vested interests are playing in favour of someone who is a big time player in Hoardings business owning over a Hundred hoardings all over the city, while Irene Displays are owning just the two, in the Church property, which is their bread and butter. It is also given to understand that the person is not from the parish nor does he belong to Catholic community. Now it may be argued that it is being looked into, purely through commercial/Financial aspect. To this I would like to put a question. Is monitory consideration the only way to look at things? Have the Parish authorities/Church abdicated their responsibility towards their parishioners? We are also given to understand that Irene Displays have offered to hike the Remuneration from Rs. Seven Lakhs to Rupees Eight and a half Lakhs per month. Parish authorities could have negotiated the matter with them instead of going in for open bidding spontaneously; so that the mighty goliath can hike the bid beyond the capacity of Irene Displays. There is an ulterior motive clearly visible here.

We on behalf of Catholic Community and East Indians in particular, object to this illegal, malicious open bidding process and request it to be kept in abeyance till your arrival. We have already sent you the message on WhatsApp and informed Fr. KE Emmanuel to inform Parish authorities about it in your absence. We are also informing Parish authorities, about our aversion to this open bidding, and postpone it further, through hard copy of this letter.

Enclosing herewith copy of the letter addressed By M/s Irene Displays to the Parish Priest.

We hope the good counsel prevails..

Yours always in OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Sd/-

GREG R. PEREIRA

Copy to: Parish Priest: St. Joseph Church. Juhu: Hand delivery through a Parishioner.

Noel Corriea is regular follower and contributor to SILENT VOICE. This post relates to Our Lady of Nazareth Church, Bhayander;

St. Augustine: “He who sings prays twice”.

We in Bhayander, at Our Lady of Nazareth Church do not have this privilege of praying Twice, Cause may be unaffordable to our Parishioners.  On the other hand, maybe the Parishioners do not deserve the same.  I am not sure which of the one is true.

The church has four rows of benches approx 20 to 22 benches in a row, which are around 85 benches.  However, you will be lucky if u find a Hymnal in the bench pocket.  Cause in the whole church there would be hardly 100-150 hymnals are available.  Which serves as 1 – 2 hymnals per bench of eight devotees.

On Sundays, we are reduced to spectators in the church and the issue is not new, it is long pending and the Parish priest is informed of the same. But that does not seem to be his problem.

Again, the hymnals are become old and outdated.  It time for technology,  now a day’s church’s though small but have projectors installed for displays of  Hymns , Readings , and for prays of the faithful.

But in Bhayander these seems to be luxuries and unaffordable  cause the church only makes the turnover of 2 Crores every year which is quite low,  and can’t provide these luxuries.  

 The Parish council also discussed the need of projectors and kneeling pads on the benches but the parish priest does not have the requisite funds, though the church has apprx 2.60 cr in Fixed Deposits and appox 96 lacs in the account balance. (The figures, which are quote, are not bogus but from the church Audit report for the year 2014-2015).

 Hence, the required budget for projector and kneeling pads may require another 5 years. For which we can still wait because we are just a small parish of approx 15,000 – 18,000 parishioners only.

 Where development of the church is at a snail pace. Moreover, those who give suggestion are troublemakers. In addition, parish council members are just suggesting body and  need not be taken seriously.

I remember one of the Parishioner offered to donate the projectors for the church some 2 years ago but the the feasibility for installion is yet to be checked.  Cause everything in bhayander is under minimum 5 year plans policy. And same was the reply given to the PPC last month

God Bless the Parishioners of Our lady of Nazareth parishioners for their patient and tolerance and May the Priest and his team take a leaf out of it and do some constructive job.

Noel Corriea

9867543574.

CC : Cardinal Oswald Gracias , Silent Majority website.