WHY DO WE HAVE TO FIGHT? by Joaquim Correia-Afonso, Benaulim

Why is it that here in Goa the citizen has to FIGHT for his rights? Isn’t India a democracy, a Government of the people, by the people, FOR the people? Why are ANTI-PEOPLE projects and schemes foisted on the people of Goa by scheming politicians, self-developers and other destroyers of the ecology?

Not many years ago, the Goa Government had planned SEZs, big areas where local self-government authorities would have NO SAY. People would have no say. People opposed the SEZs, IT Habitats and Food Parks tooth and nail. But the Government panel (the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure headed by the Chief Minister) formed to study “if SEZs are needed” had already decided that SEZs WERE needed.

Why, then, were people opposing these Parks? People were not opposing “development”. They were opposing the anti-people projects coming up within these areas earmarked for SEZs, IT Parks, Food Parks and other Parks which were planned for the self-development of the politicians, land sharks and others of their ilk. Government showed NO CONCERN for the people’s welfare but only for the “royal status development” of so-called “real estate developers” (land sharks) and others involved in their own welfare.

In the recent past villagers have had to fight in order to save their residential houses from being razed and their villages partitioned for the purpose of widening of the national highway crossing the State from north to south so as to serve as a corridor between the two neighbouring States.

They have to fight against power and water guzzlers known as mega-housing complexes that are “duly approved” by the authorities, but do not conform to the approved plans and other terms of the approval. The greater the public opposition to a project, the faster seems to be the approval conveyed by the (un)concerned authorities. Like the controversial project at Carmona: There is no sign of the mandatory ten-metre road, the Environment Impact Assessment has not been obtained, in fact the approval has been given even though the matter is before the Court. The builders and their money seem to be more important for our ministers than the Niz Goenkars that elected them, because, though ignorant of internet speed, they know what Kbps stands for – “kick backs per square-metre”. The kick-backs will ensure that the illegalities are, later, regularized.

People of Sanguem, Curchorem and nearby areas are fighting against illegal transportation of illegal mineral ore, causing dust and noise pollution and even deaths of people walking on the roads.

The latest are protests against large-scale tapping and rampant exploitation of ground water for commercial use, affecting the water table.

Villagers also protest against sand mining activity in the rivers. They demand implementation of the assurances given by the Government regarding unregulated sand mining.

Gram Sabhas are unhappy with the draft Regional Plan 2021 drawn up for their respective villages, despite earlier objections raised by them. They allege that the recommendations of select committees of the Panchayat are ignored by the Town & Country Planning Board while those of the money-powered are accepted.

In Velim, the Gram Sabha demands scrapping of land acquisition for Cutbona jetty expansion as well as the Fisheries Department’s proposal for the same.

One reads about rampant filling of paddy fields including khazans, destruction of mangroves, pollution of rivers, lakes and other water bodies by releasing sewage into them, in a general way destruction of the environment and total destruction of the ecology.

It appears that all these irregularities, all these illegalities are permitted by the “Government FOR the people”, going against the interests of the very same people, against the interests of the State, both of which the Government is expected to protect, forcing the people to FIGHT for their rights.

The Land Acquisition Act was enacted during the regime of the British colonialists, in the 19th century. It is being perpetuated in the Republic even in the 21st century. In a locality where land was sold at Rs. 20 per square metre in 1982, the Land Acquisition Officer awarded Rs. 7 per square metre ten years later, in 1992. It is said that the market rate of land at Mopa is now Rs. 1500 per square metre and our aam admi Government offers a measly Rs. 4 per square metre. At Dabolim, the market rate is said to be Rs. 18,000 per square metre, while the aam admi Government offers Rs. 150 as peanuts.

Isn’t the acquired land to be paid for at the prevailing market rate? I am sure the Empress of India, during whose reign the law was enacted, would turn in her grave if she could hear of the abominable treatment being meted out to the descendants of her subjects in the independent Republic, forcing the people to FIGHT for better rates for their valuable land.