IS LIFE IN GOA CHEAPER THAN LIQUOR? by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes Dubai

“Women are cheaper than liquor in Goa” was what irked a good number of Goans, with respect to the Bollywood movie “Dum Maro Dum” and with some stiff local opposition the director was forced to instill some changes in the derogatory remarks about our Goan women, but now another serious problem has cropped up with regards to the value of life in Goa and it makes me wonder if in fact, life is even cheaper than liquor in Goa.

Roads in Goa have been major contributors to premature deaths and loss of valuable lives through the negligence and apathy of our Miners and Authorities, more often than not the victims are found to be budding youngsters, a few days ago another youngster’s budding life and dreams where shattered by the negligence of the power department, this was not the only incident where the negligence of the authorities resulted in precious life being wasted prematurely, not too long ago a father son duo were electrocuted and the list could go on and on. Life lost, is lost forever and no matter what is done to compensate the dead person will not come back to life.

Of late the money bags, our Miners have started putting a value to the life of the victim of mining prosperity, I often wonder if they would value their own lives the same. I am not at all shocked to note that a high ranking officer of the law and his deputy performed their dual role of also being the “call on boys” for the mining barons, to perfection. With all their prosperity, it’s sort of becoming a norm to flash money infront of the poor victim’s dependents in the name of compensation. The speed with which the Miners and their foot soldiers, inspector Tony and his deputy reacted is really amazing, as the lethargy and the apathy of our civil servants for effective action, is well known.

How would the miners and their police friends feel, if someone had to kill their next of kin and pay a compensation of 5 lakhs ? Would it be okay? With the cost of living hitting the roof, for how long can a family survive and suffice on that amount? The social status of the victim is irrelevant, what must be made relevant is the fact that life

Has been wrongfully terminated, all because of the casual attitude of the Miners, Politicians and the Police, if laws were enforced and enacted the situation would not been appalling, as it is today. Today every politician irrespective of the party has supported illegal and rampant mining which has destroyed our ecology and our environment and brought us to the verge of a catastrophe, all this merely for money and riches.

What action has been taken against the erring miners and the Authorities? Is it not their responsibility? The offending Authorities, miners and their henchmen have been let off, without as much as a scratch in the past, which has resulted in a massive movement against mining atrocities on Goans living in hinterland, especially against the tribal community. Now as the mines affected people are gathering enormous and overwhelming support in their fight for survival, the mining barons are pushed against the wall and hence the 5 lakhs compensation at supersonic speed to the victims family and That to through the high ranking civil servants who are forever ready to be of service to the rich and affluent miners.

If a normal Goan is faced with problems the men in uniform will distance themselves as much as possible and infact if the rich and the affluent are involved, more often than not, the victim ends being treated as a criminal, this has been the way of life in Goa for a long time and getting worse by the day. Now with the people’s movement against rampant and illegal mining activities, the police and the miners think it prudent to outrun and outgun the activists and the agitators with money and muscles power making life in Goa cheaper than liquor.

How many more lives will have to be lost to the erring negligence of our Authorities and miners before we Goans wakeup to find, the one who just lost his budding life, is our very own and accept the check that values the precious life at 5 lakhs, wouldn’t we then feel, that life is cheaper than liquor in Goa ?

Wakeup Goans, our lives are precious and valuable and we have to make sure that the people responsible for negligence, who ever they are, are taken to task and pay dearly so that justice is served.