------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC) Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- IFFI, An Unsustainable Cultural Experiment ----------------------------------------------
by Nandkumar Kamat Five years back I had welcomed the proposal by the then central minister for information and broadcasting Mrs. Sushma Swaraj to hold IFFI in Goa. At that time there were a very few takers for such an expensive extravaganza. I had prevailed upon Mr. Parrikar to accept the proposal and create conditions to develop a thriving local cultural industry. Mr. Parrikar accepted the challenge as a cultural experiment. He faced stiff opposition and many hurdles. He made many mistakes like hiring a Candadian agency which could not do much. But he worked tirelessly, day and night to give a radical facelift to Mandovi's waterfront. The promised central assistance for IFFI in Goa did not materialize. Over 80 crores were spent for the first IIFI In Goa. There were controversies over this vast expenditure but the government which finds it difficult to spare funds for genuine projects continued to spend lavishly on subsequent festivals. Today financially, the entire organization of IFFI has become unsustainable. There is no value for the money spent. Initially the government had declared that the expenditure would be less than the previous years' Rs 15 crores. But when the curtains would come down on the IFFI and the last bills are paid this year's total expenses including capital costs would cross Rs 25 crores. Four years of cultural experimentation has cost more than Rs 150 crores. This has benefited only a specific section of politically well connected interests. IFFI has not added any particular brand value to Goa's image because leave aside the international media, there is hardly any notice of this important cultural event in national media. I have been critically monitoring the response of the national and international media to IFFI in Goa since 2004. People already know and recognize Goa as internationally famous tourist destination. Major actors from foreign film industry prefer to quietly visit Goa. Goa government is subsidizing the IFFI so much that the economic turnover from the tourists is much less in comparison. IFFI has added another serious dimension to the quality and efficiency of government administration. The government machinery starts giving excuses from October that it is busy with IFFI. The very purpose of postponing the discussion on budget from March to July session was to accelerate the developmental work stagnated during the monsoon. But for the past four years there is absolutely the opposite picture-right from the chief minister to the chief secretary –the top people get in the glamorous mood of IFFI and the common man suffers. A few days ago I heard the woes of the traditional salt producers from Agarwado, a ward located on the northern bank of the scenic Colvale river in the village panchyat of Chopadem in Pernem Taluka. There are fifty families whose only means of livelihood is the production of salt with natural iodine, minerals and Vitamin E precursors. They derive their clan name-'Bagli' from the fish loving birds visiting the salt pans as these are annually drained out. The state government has never come to their aid technically or financially but to rub salt in their wounds took decisions to kill this environmentally sustainable industry by promoting imported iodized salt. The government officers feel that the local salt industry need to die a natural death. For past 20 years the Agarwado salt farmers have been approaching the local print media and the government for justice. They have a simple demand-permanent repair of the external embankment –called Agarpoim bundh which runs for two kilometers and has developed large breaches. These breaches have flooded nine out of 12 salt pans of the Bagli families. Now all that they have are just three salt pans. The repair of the 'Agarpoim' bundh would provide more income and employment to the local people. It is sound and strategic, productive investment with assured social and economic returns. The studies which I had conducted in Merces had showed me that over the production period of 120 days a hectare of salt pan gives an income of more than a lakh Rs. An industry entering Goa needs to invest Rs. One crore to create a single job. Comparatively local salt production is much more economical, non polluting and sustainable. The cumulative losses of income and employment from Agarwado work out to be Rs. Five crores. The repairs to the Agarpoim bundh would cost less than that amount. But the government has neither priority, nor the funds for such socially useful project. Contrast this picture with the expenditure of Rs. 14 crores spent in a record time of less than four months on two mini-theatres in the former GMC complex. IFFI means nothing for the poor salt producers' families as long as their woes are not heard. They represent the last generation of the salt producers and do not understand why their government can ignore them when portraits of Mahatma Gandhi are hung in the offices. I have cited just one example of the state government's lack of priorities to identify and utilize the public funds judiciously. If the present trend of heavy subsidies and extravagant expenditure on organization of IFFI in Goa continues then the state already burdened by a massive public debt would find itself overburdened and fiscally bankrupt within a few years. After four years of cultural experimentation Goa and Goans have learnt the bitter sweet lessons from IFFI. These lessons would be useful in future for more sincere, low cost and culturally creative sustainable efforts. It would be a self deception for the state government to believe that IFFI is already an economically sustainable experiment. IFFI has given the government and the culturally active people an idea of the logistical needs which are required to host state's own cultural festivals of international quality. With a shoe string budget Goa's Kala Akademy organizes annual Bhajan festival which witnesses grass roots level participation of one lakh people-as artists, accompanists and audience. This is Asia's greatest sustainable event in devotional music. The Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir at Ponda organizes annual Fugdi festival which sees record participation by women folk dancers. Are these events less important than expensive IFFI?. If the government pro-actively implements the cultural policy then within next five years Goa's cultural brand identity would be enhanced globally. Nothing would be lost if IFFI shifts from Goa. It would give breathing and planning time for the government and culturally creative people to do some serious and objective introspection regarding the long term sustainability of such extravagant events. Goa is destined to emerge as a cultural hub of Asia in future-with, without or inspite of IFFI-provided the government is sensitive to people' priorities and the naked social realities. -------------------------------------------- The Navhind Times 03/12/07 page No. 8 -------------------------------------------- ==================================== GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE Documentation + Education + Solidarity 11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ------------------------------------------------------- Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy =====================================
