GOA A HAPPY STATE BY 2035………..!!! by Alex D’Souza

In a recent comment, Dr R A Mashelkar stated that..........." Goa should be the “happiest State in the world” by 2035; where every Goan will do well, there is harmony, pristine nature, and development without destruction ".

I fail to understand how Dr Mashelkar has arrived at such an outrageous conclusion. How can Goa be a happy State, where there is harmony and pristine nature and development without destruction within the next 14 years when Goa has been almost destroyed beyond recognition during the past 50 years ???

Speaking of pristine nature, we did have it when Goa was forcefully occupied by India. The people that have been in power in Goa state since then have systematically succeeded in destroying that by encouraging illegal, enviroment unfriendly developments and shady business activities to take place in Goa. Very soon, Goa State ( that was once a beautiful place ) may end up like Bombay with all our rivers stinking of sewerage waste and unauthorised slums everywhere. It has already happened in many parts of Goa.

How can Dr Mashelkar state that every Goan will do well within the next 14 years, when the fact remains that most Goans have become miserable during the past 50 years. The situation in Goa has become so bad that most of the people in Goa cannot even afford proper housing in thier own place of birth. Most of the public utilities in Goa is either sub-standard or, in many cases, below any possible standards. Most of the essential goods and commodities that Goans purchase are either adulterated, duplicated or contaminated.

Speaking about development without destruction, I think Dr Mashelkar has miserably failed to take notice of the fast track enviromental degradation that has already taken place in Goa and that is still happening at a record breaking pace, from the comforts of his airconditioned office, and vehicles that is paid for by the Government.

Dr Mashelkar, I know for sure that you would have done proper justice to your academic titles if you had concentrated on the above mentioned issues, in the true sense of responsible citizenship, rather than wasting your time on making baseless and outrageous comments. Just because you have managed to acquire a well paid position for yourself, and you assume that your own personal garden will look pristine and there will be no development without destruction within your own property, it does not mean that the whole of Goa will look the same within the timeframe you suggest.

I request you to speak on topics that will help improve Goa, instead of dancing to the tunes of the corrupt people that still have kept you in the position that you are having / " enjoying ".