My indologist Guru ,Dr. Josebab Pereira says prophetically,
'THE FORCES DESTROYING GOA ARE MUCH STRONGER THAN I AM'
But who's making these forces stronger-?. all those who are willingly or
unwillingly involved in disempowering people of Goa and those who see no
conflict of interests when such forces are made still stronger....examples
follow..
No conflicts of interest now?. How retired scientists from NIO get
rehabilitated on statutory posts again and again….?
All the anti-mining, anti mass tourism, anti industrial pollution, anti
privatization, anti mega housing project, anti SEZ et al activists please
take note if forces destroying Goa need to be made weaker and not stronger.
This is the biggest news for you in 2010. It all depends how you make this
committee work and hold them accountable and responsible if they just sit
idle, go against spirit of the act and people of Goa.
The latest notification by MOEF on appointment of State EIA appraisal
committee needs a studied response from all those , individuals, activists
and NGOs, who know or need to know what it is and how it is going to make a
vital difference in mining, non mining, industrial and tourism areas,
including housing megaprojects.
What I find striking now is -there are three very senior retired NIO
scientists ( one on Goa CZMA, almost a ‘life member’; another as chairman
GSPCB, and third one recently appointed on a EIA appraisal committee) who
have been rehabilitated on powerful statutory committees and shockingly
nobody sees any ‘conflict of interest’ in such appointments…esp. when the
projects and issues which they handle can make a huge difference for the
future of Goa.
There are some questions:-
1. How retired scientists from NIO get suitably rehabilitated (sometimes
for three terms) as chairman of the very powerful statutory Goa state
pollution control board?
2. As working scientists they are not known to have taken any position
(unless briefed to do so on case by case basis as I observed while
conducting public hearing on Miramar beach privatization) in their entire
research career on issues of public interest despite constitution, working
conditions not forbidding them ( exceptions are Kalidas Sawkar, Antonio
Mascarenhas, salute them), but no one sees any conflict of interest when
they may deal with the same corporate clients for whom they had done paid
consultancy work (check paid Environmental impact assessment (EIA)
consultancy work by NIO on NIO’s website, under individual researchers’
page)
3. Interestingly we find a lot of favoritism again when the chairman,
GSPCB recommends and appoints NIO scientists (working or retired) on the
powerful technical committee of GSPCB? . so then it becomes an all NIO
affair- a new form of “insiders’ trading’. Is there no conflict of interest
in such decisions?.
4. If it pricks the conscience of any activists (with or without
sponsorship from United Churches of Canada, IDRC, Helen Hamlyn Trust etc) in
India or abroad- please justify the nomination of engineers, chemists and
geologists on Goa’s State EIA appraisal committee. What is their experience
in EIA?. Again the technical committee is headed by a retired NIO chemical
oceanographer.
5. How these people would deal with the projects of their ex corporate
clients?.
It is the total spinelessness of Goa state pollution control board which has
resulted in Goa’s present environmental and ecological tragedy.
We haven’t heard clamor for demanding resignations from people on statutory
positions who have clear conflict of interests when they are supposed to be
fully ecofriendly and people friendly and not politician or minister or
investor friendly.
“He would create problems for the government” – a retired and much deified
NIO ex scientist had opined when a senior government officer had proposed my
name as a potential non official new member to the Chief secretary of Goa
(CS) when the issue of reconstitution of Goa CZMA came up a few years ago
(not recently). The CS had then readily dropped the idea. The officer was
taken aback because the scientist could offer absolutely no reasons but he
was successful in poisoning the mind of CS. My well wisher officer could
understand the gut level hatred and discomfort. This had become noticeable
and pronounced in the society after I had married Melinda -a Roman catholic
at Old Goa’s se cathedral. My wife says-“ it is just jealousy. People don’t
disclose the real reasons why they hate you and this would continue till you
live in Goa!”.
In his Visit and interaction/public hearing on CZMA at the auditorium of
Agnel Polytechnic, Verna, on Aug. 30, 2009 the Hon. Minister for
environment and forests, Mr. Jairam Ramesh declared-" anyone in audience
may write to me why Goa deseves a special case". It was not this ex NIO
scientist or any other member of CZMA or govt. officer but I, who went home
and by night, in public interest, sent Mr. Ramesh a note by e-mail, stating
reasons for giving Goa a special ecological status and then received his
reply, forwarded copies to the CM and his superchiefminister officers. I
had posted this note on GOANET sometimes back. All the points in the note
were explained to Minister for environment Mr. Aleixo Sequiera in April 2010
in a meeting called by him at new secretariat in presence of Chief town
planner Mr. Morad Ahmad and the asst. advocate general of Goa Adv. Carlos.
Obviously the retd. NIO scientist would have found that this was done to
“create more problems for the government”.
There are many things these guys can do in public interest. Someone needs to
ask the NIO why despite liberal funding ( about Rs. 30 lakhs so far) from
Goa government for past four years it is still not submitting "sustainable
fisheries policy for Goa" because 31 st July is approaching. The deadline
to submit the policy report is over two years back. The ban on monsoon
fishing would be lifted. Definitely there are instructions from politicians
to paddle slow. because who would like to implement a sustainable fisheries
policy for Goa?. who would reduce the number of fishing vessels and accept
voluntary moratoriums on fishing or abide within maximum sustainable yield?.
This is example of natural resource politics in Goa and no questions
are asked. There is one yardstick for mineral foundation of Goa and another
for rehabilitated scientists.
As Goa gets more and more into social and ecological mess, one by one all
the masks would be blown off, the hideous face of compromised reality would
stare to stun a shocked, traumatized civil society.
A prophet whose land has almost has forgotten him-my Indology Guru- Dr.Jose
Pereira has already made a prophetic announcement..'THE FORCES DESTROYING
GOA ARE MUCH STRONGER THAN I AM'
."Josebab, tuzya tondant sakor podom"....You stole my own words!
What educated earthworms, Goan gaindols, weaklings and cowards like me
should do when forces destroying Goa become strongest?
By retreating to my own warm cocoon, I would perhaps dream of padmashrees
and padmavibhushans. Let society then take my belches and farts after a fat
cocktail dinner as my official protest statements. Perhaps I would castrate
my conscience and promote social and political vermiculture appropriate to
Goan gaindolism with or without foreign funding.
--
Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA
* * *
UK STOCKS EXHAUSTED! After a community-supported launch at
Croydon, Selma Carvalho's *Into the Diaspora Wilderness* is
available at Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564]
Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. Ask a friend to pick up a copy.
Details of the book http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
* * *
