![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/audience.jpg\" "\\"audience\\"")
Forced evictions in Rio\u2019s favelas were high on the list of concerns. With the city\u2019s favela development plan, Morar Carioca seeks to refurbish and upgrade nine favelas in Curicica<\/a>, a zone near the future Olympic site, but two of those communities will be almost completely wiped out<\/a>. \u201cHow is it that this remains invisible? How are we going to deal with this?\u201d one citizen demanded. The forced eviction<\/a> of favela residents from their homes is an ever-growing concern, as City government paints a black and white picture of grandiose and fast-paced development projects versus the protection of the basic human rights of favela residents. With Rio already infamous for its disparity between rich and poor, citizens expressed their concerns about Morar Carioca failing to provide a cure for this grievous problem. Without careful planning, the housing and urbanization departments could merely duplicate similar circumstances of inequality, as one participant pointed out.<\/p>\nArchitect and professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Cristov\u00e3o Duarte, criticized the Porto Maravilha project, citing faults in the port development plan. He brought up insufficient oversight on the project, pointing out there was lack of approval from experts<\/a> and higher-ups and that the project was rushed, having been approved in record time. Furthermore, he expressed concern with the lack of transparency in the project planning and approval process.<\/p>\n Other issues raised included: crime, controlling the militias, the presence of the army in the favelas, criminalization of the poor, income generation for people who are switching from the informal work sector to the formal work sector, Minha Casa Minha Vida, land titles for favela residents, and a general concern for Rio\u2019s image.<\/p>\n Marcelo Friexo closed the event by praising and encouraging the constructive discussion about Rio\u2019s future and affirmed his commitment to continue this forum, regardless of election results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/speakers.jpg\" "\\"speakers\\"")
An engineer expressed concerns with the city\u2019s sewerage system<\/a>. He explained that the municipal government had assumed responsibility for sewerage in Rio’s West Zone in 2007, but then explained this pressing issue has been ignored. He discussed the \u201cfantasy\u201d that there will be sanitary sewerage systems in the condominiums, and expressed doubt about its likelihood, citing a disturbing report<\/a> that sewerage in Barra de Tijuca had been flowing into the Lagoa de Marapendi.<\/p>\n