Wendell closes Marriott boutique, Salgaocar upset over friend’s unilateral action

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 27 September 2012 00:12 IST

The Shah Commission report on illegal mining has just not created storm in the political and business circles but has also made ripples in the celebrity world.

Wendell Rodricks, Goa-based renowned fashion designer has shut down his fashion boutique at Marriott Resorts in Goa, as a mark of protest over illegal mining by Salgaocar, the mine owner who runs the resort.

Dattaraj Salgaocar however is reportedly upset over his friend Wendell’s unilateral action to close down the shop without even discussing with him the issue of their alleged involvement in illegal mining.

Shah Commission has listed out 100 mining lease holders who have encroached upon the land illegally for mining without legal sanction.

V M Salgaocar, the mining House, tops the list in the report indicating area of around 419.85 hectares.

As the report was out two weeks ago, Wendell has decided to shut down his boutique at Marriott Resort, in protest of mining atrocities.

This is not the first time Wendell has come out in public against illegal mining, but had also joined hands with activists fighting illegal mining even earlier.

In fact some mine owners, who are his friends otherwise, had reacted sharply against his public protest and one of them had even returned his Christmas cake.

Dattaraj, one of his close friends, is however upset that the fashion designer did not talk to him about the issue, to seek his version over it, before taking the decision of closing down the shop.

In an email Dattaraj has reportedly written to Wendell, he has expressed anguish over his friend not giving him a fair chance to prove himself but to jump to conclusion without verifying facts and figures.

According to Salgaocar, the encroached area shown in the Shah Commission report is actually part of another village where the VMSB has a beneficiation and dry screening plants and jetties in their legally owned land.

Dattaraj has also learnt to have brought these facts to the notice of Wendell, stating that 350 hectares of around 400 hectares of this land is not even a mining lease in Velguem, Surla village but the plants located in another village of Vagus Kothambi in their own private land.

Salgaocars claims that the Shah Commission has committed factual errors which they would formally clarify before the appropriate authorities.

Though both the friends – Dattaraj Salgaocar and Wendell Rodricks – refuse to talk about this issue openly, Wendell’s office claims that they decided not to renew the contract of the boutique, which expires this month.

Wendell also learnt to have apologised to Salgaocar for the hurt caused to him due to his action while stating that he would always remain his friend otherwise.

Salgaocar, on the other hand, has responded to Wendell’s action, describing it as unbecoming of a good friend.

It appears that one Shah Commission report has started developing strained relations in every circle; the celebrity circle not left untouched. 


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Previous Comments

Well done Wendell.

The Govt is enjoying the honeymoon with the miners & is busy punishing the small time Govt Employees of the Mining Dept.

- Almeida, Margao | 29 th September 2012 02:59

 

Deepak let me ask you some questions on what you have expressed about Shah Commission:

You say “Shah Commission has operated with vested interests.”

Question: What is the vested interest Shah or Commission had?

You say: He only consulted and considered opinions of NGOs and activists who were anti-mining and based his reports on their feed, probably as that was an easy way to go about it.

My question: Do you mean to say that Shah Commission should have consulted every Goan individual before finalizing his finding or writing final report? Did he not contact you!!

You say: Despite there being lot of information in the public domain, with Govt depts and miners, he did not consult them and thereby reported a number of erroneous facts and reached wrong conclusions.

My question: Do you mean to say that Shah Commission should have consulted thieves who looted and plundered public exchequer?



You say: His report was placed in parliament by Secretary Mining (who had already been transferred in May at his request) without following due process of it being placed before the cabinet.

My question: If this is fact you cannot blame the secretary mining! Instead you should blame Minister for Mining and PM for not being alert before tabling the report!



You say: All this reeks of a conspiracy.

My question: Conspiracy!! By whom? And for what reason?



You say: Could it be funded by global miners who want India's exports of iron ore to stop so that they can replace the quantity by their own production from huge expansions planned by (this year alone, Australian miners plan to increase production by 100 mill tons) especially in the face of slowing demand from China and crash of iron ore prices?

My reply: If so it’s good for India and Goa too! At least we will be able to save our greenery and use our iron ore for our captive use and also get iron/steel at a very low price.

- Uday, Margao | 28 th September 2012 06:56

 

I am sure if Wendell had his shop in other Outlets owned by the Corrupt & Looting Miners , he would have closed shop.

- n.fernandes, London | 27 th September 2012 19:05

 

It is obvious that Shah Commission has operated with vested interests. He only consulted and considered opinions of NGOs and activists who were anti-mining and based his reports on their feed, probably as that was an easy way to go about it. Despite there being lot of information in the public domain, with Govt depts and miners, he did not consult them and thereby reported a number of erroneous facts and reached wrong conclusions. He made anti-mining and export statements right from the outset. His report was placed in parliament by Secretary Mining (who had already been transferred in May at his request) without following due process of it being placed before the cabinet. All this reeks of a conspiracy. Could it be funded by global miners who want India's exports of iron ore to stop so that they can replace the quantity by their own production from huge expansions planned by (this year alone, Australian miners plan to increase production by 100 mill tons) especially in the face of slowing demand from China and crash of iron ore prices?

- Deepak, Goa | 27 th September 2012 18:11

 

well done Mr. Wendell, you deserve all the cheers for your action. Wishing you all the best .Keep distance from the looters of goan wealth

- PERCY, VELIM | 27 th September 2012 14:20

 

hats off to you Mr. Wendell. Ofcourse Dattaraj will have his version will will without a doubt castigate his wrongdoings. All these wealthy have their own way and he will definitely have this time round especially with the current CM going like a bride along with Salgaoncar. These are all beads of the same necklace. If the prevvious govt had affiliations to the TIMBLO's and Dempos, it is the turn of the Salgaoncars this time round.

ONCE AGIAN GOOD JOB WENDELL. LET DATTARAJ PROOVE HIS INOCENCE AND THEN YOU DO YOUR PART.

- jaret de silva, overseas/chandor | 27 th September 2012 14:17

 

Why should these handful of miners get away in the name of friendship,The land belongs to Goans, the resources belong to Goans,they have cheated , they have illegally ignored the very existence of Goans,so what friendship are these squatters talking about? A frienship that cost Goan brotherhood 39000croes? Well done Wendel your action is the first slap on the miners and indirectly on the scumbag rogue politicians.

Parrikar ?Get our 39000croes back or else your goverment goes to hell. Bring all miners and politicians to books.

LET US SEE IF YOU ARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOA OR FOR THE LOOTERS OF GOA. Dina Tarcar,Anil salgaokar,PRATAP SINGH Rane, Digamber kamat,Joaquim and egghead yuri alemao and the whole jingbang to task.

We need justice done to our motherland land.Goa is no whore for ore,Stop mining,stop leasing,and prove to us how much the state has earned?how much the miners have looted,? How will your goverment justify as to how much Goans have gained from mining, revenue wise? we need the break down from 1974 onwards.Can you?...will you?

The miners have'nt even compensated for any damn thing for the Irrepairable damage or mega scale destruction done to the ecology of state! The sly Rane tries to chirp about being the president of wild life and resources who himself is more than responsible for being involved and quick to vindicate from the issue as well.

They were just Lucky enough for Wendal's generous nature to even get a christmas cake at christmas. Watch whats my gift to them this Diwali.

Parrikar ? We want our 39000croes back because you promised action with assurance of returning all the loot back. hence ,we gave you the seat to take charge of these issues if not we'll snatch it away from you.. Six months from now.Deliver or get Lost.

- massimo, Panjim | 27 th September 2012 13:16

 

I salute Mr Wendell for his action to close his boutique at Marriott resort, Panjim. All Goans are proud of you. What a brave spirit? I hope we have several personalities like Mr. Wendell in Goa, who will distance themselves from these mining barons like Salgaoncars. I had earlier suggested in one of my comments that, no vendors or service providers should deal or do any business with Salgaoncars, Bandekars, Chowgule, Timblo, Sesa Goa etc. They have looted Goan wealth. To prove them right, they will put forward lot of excuses and illogical reasoning and even go to the courts with the strength of stashed cash. It is a good and proactive action by Mr. Wendell and will go a long way in the history of Goan mining as one of the effect of the illigal mining. Mr. Wendell, you will be blessed!. Forget about Dattarj's friendship. You will earn blessings by this action rather than be part of the curses along with Salgaoncars.

I request to all the right minded readers of this column to propagate the idea of non cooperation and no business with this illegal mining lobby in Goa. Their kith n kin should be looked down upon in public forums. They will then automatically close down their shops and refrain from illegal mining in Goa.

- Ratikant, UAE | 27 th September 2012 08:05

 

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