-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | | | | by visiting this link and following the instructions therein | | | | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- An Ill-Organised Film Festival by Nandkumar Kamat
THE International film festival of India, (IFFI) to be held in Goa, episode II, under the Congress-NCP-MGP ruling dispensation, needs to proceed smoothly and peacefully without any law and order situation. It is fundamentally wrong to hold this festival and the honoured guests of Goa to ransom in the name of any agitation. At the same time it is the bounden duty of the government to create an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation in a statesman-like manner by changing its decisions which are opposed by the people. There is an excellent response from the national and international media this year and that increases the responsibility of the government for defusing the agitation over the TCP ordinance and PDAs jurisdiction. With hardened stances on both the sides, a solution appears difficult unless the Governor himself intervenes for larger public good. If the agitators begin blocking the arterial roads leading to Panaji during the IFFI then it would be a great security issue. If any violence breaks out because of impulsive action by the police then Goa would have to forget IFFI. Imposing Section 144, as some people are advising, would send a wrong signal to the media and the delegates. IFFI 2004, Episode I, the BJP version, also had a controversial start. The then government wasted a huge sum on the Canadian consultants who could not understand the simple problem of drainage along the Mandovi waterfront. Rupees one and half crores for a temporary open-door shamiana for the inaugural function of the IFFI cannot be justified. Obviously it may create several job opportunities. But it would certainly match the disputed expenditure on the renovation of Kala Academy executed during IFFI 2004. Goa has now become famous as the land of controversies. It must have been very humiliating for the superstar Amitabh Bachchan to be told that the invitation extended officially to him by the state government is withdrawn. The Government must sincerely apologise and invite him for the concluding function. Politics needs to be kept out of cultural issues. IFFI needs to be organized with a certain dignity, decorum and discipline to set up new benchmarks in smooth organization. Certainly, all the false starts may prove to be good lessons for future because Goa is now a permanent centre for IFFI. Kudos to ex-CM Mr Parrikar, whose advocacy for the permanent venue has borne fruits. Mr Pratapsing Rane with a proven and secular track record in managing Kala Academy went ahead with IFFI 2005 despite lack of unanimous support from his party colleagues. But a lot of precious time was wasted after the withdrawal of monsoon in rapidly completing the spill-over work on several projects which had been initiated last year. The incomplete footpaths on D B Bandodkar road have become a pedestrian hazard. A small stretch of road near the Santa Inez Hindu crematorium has eroded so much that the area has become accident prone. Some miscreants removed the doors of the fiberglass kiosks near the Mandovi waterfront. The majestic casuarina trees in the Bhagvan Mahavir Childrens park at Campal were mercilessly top worked and pruned contrary to the non violent teachings of the great tirthankara whose statue graces the park. The park is now beyond recognition. Dehydration and infection would kill all the trees soon. A lot of damage was done to the roadside herbaceous plantations between Kala Academy to Betim ferry wharf as people trampled over these delicate beds. Adequate notice has not been given to the campal residents about the traffic and parking arrangements during the festival. Unless the government restricts vehicular traffic at peak hours, this year it would be a very chaotic situation between the old secretariat building to Caranzalem. A major outdoor cultural event attracts thousands of people to Panaji. After the event gets over there is no traffic discipline. I was trapped in a traffic jam in my car for two hours near Bal Bhavan last year after pop singer Remos concert got concluded. To my estimate the event had attracted not less than fifty thousand people to Campal. This year the number is likely to swell for the outdoor events because domestic tourists are also flocking to Goa in large numbers. This also brings with it a considerable security risk. The state government machinery is woefully inadequate to deal with sabotage, saboteurs and terrorists who can easily camouflage themselves among IFFIs colourful cosmopolitan crowd. Going by the briefings and statements so far, Goa and Panaji is still ill prepared for smooth and incident, mishap-free film festival. Therefore, those whore sincerely working against the clock, to make the event successful need to get the full cooperation of the local people. I had registered myself as a delegate last year but this year Im having second thoughts as there is likely to be a stampede due to ill organization. But it may not dampen the spirit of the die-hard delegates and the film aficionados converging at Panaji. Goa needs some more time and maturity before organization of IFFI becomes a normal ritual, a habit. The Kala Akademy has initiated work to establish its own film club. That was a promise made by the CM Mr Rane last year. Since people can afford to see good movies on VCDs and DVDs, Goa does not exhibit a theatre viewers culture. The government need to waive VAT on Indian made movie VCDs and DVDs for a period of five years to mark the organization of the IFFI. Liberal loans need to be given to build mini film theatres in municipal areas and large villages to popularize film culture. After the dust of IFFI 2005 settles the rest of the year may be wasted in controversies. Instead, the film lovers of Goa could organize themselves in effective strength on a common platform to maintain the momentum, if any, created by IFFI 2004 and 05. The local colleges need to introduce courses in film appreciation and film journalism. The IFFI organizers need to spell out their post-IFFI agenda for the local film industry and the film aficionados. Before IFFI 2006, many other film related events and regional or thematic film festivals could be organized. It is appropriate on the part of the government to request the festival secretariat to change the dates of IFFI from 2006. If this is not done then IFFI organization fatigue would show its impact on the government machinery. Last years lessons show that all work grinds to a halt once the festival concludes. Precious public funds are being spent on public assets. People expect value for their money. Post IFFI-2005 inaction should not reproduce post IFFI 2004 nightmares.
