A senior journalist today returnedan award given to him by Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ),condemning the government's alleged failure to save a villagefrom being acquired by a hotel group.
Kishor Naik Gaonkar, employed as chief reporter withGoa-based Marathi daily, Goa Doot, had exposed the plan toallegedly sell entire Terekhol village in Pernem taluka to ahotel conglomeration, which was supposed to start the golfcourse there.
Gaonkar had won the coveted Lambert Mascarenhas awardfor Best Investigative Story, for 2011-12.
"My series of news was based on the helplessnessexpressed by the villagers. Unfortunately, the stategovernment did not bother to pay attention to the views of thevillagers," Naik said.
GUJ, the oldest union body of the state journalists,has been giving this award annually since last one decade.
"In fact, through the starred question tabled on thefloor of the House on April 5, 2013 by the state governmentduring the current Assembly session, it has been told by thegovernment that the permission has been granted to a hotelgroup to construct golf course in this village," he added.
The journalist, however, clarified that he has no sayon the issue, whether the government's decision to allow golfcourse is legal or illegal.
"But I am returning the award because my news whichwon the award could not give justice to the villagers. I feelonly that news which can get attention of the governmentshould be given the award," Naik has said in his letteraddressed to GUJ president Pandurang Gaonkar.
Gaonkar told PTI that the union's executive committeewill discuss this issue. "Only after discussing it with thecommittee members we will be able to comment on it," he added.